RSPCA pulls out of Crufts

[Freedom]

Hats off to the RSPCA!!!!

http://www.dogmagazine.net/archives/...out-of-crufts/

Many of you know, Crufts is the Westminster of Great Britain. In the past, the RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) has had a booth there, to promote general animal welfare.

They are opposed to the pedigrees overbreeding leading to deformities, disabilities (physical and healthwise) and such. So they are NOT attendng Crufts this year.

[Shelteez2]

Hats off to the RSPCA!!!!

http://www.dogmagazine.net/archives/...out-of-crufts/

Many of you know, Crufts is the Westminster of Great Britain. In the past, the RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) has had a booth there, to promote general animal welfare.

They are opposed to the pedigrees overbreeding leading to deformities, disabilities (physical and healthwise) and such. So they are NOT attendng Crufts this year.

What a slap in the face to the hundreds of ethical breeders that will be attending Crufts. The ones who have worked hard with their lines to make them what they are and do all testing necessary to keep them healthy.

[Freedom]

They are aimed at the standards, so even an ethical breeder is impacted.

[Giselle]

Hats off to the RSPCA!!!!

http://www.dogmagazine.net/archives/...out-of-crufts/

Many of you know, Crufts is the Westminster of Great Britain. In the past, the RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) has had a booth there, to promote general animal welfare.

They are opposed to the pedigrees overbreeding leading to deformities, disabilities (physical and healthwise) and such. So they are NOT attendng Crufts this year.

What is a "disability" or "deformity" defined as, considering they are targeting the breed standards themselves?

Lucky, my heavy-coated, bracycephalic, low built dog, must be an abhorrent monster.

[Karen]

I hope they will still be monitoring the welfare of the dogs attending the show ...

[Suki Wingy]

I don't think that was the smartest idea.

[Freedom]

What is a "disability" or "deformity" defined as, considering they are targeting the breed standards themselves?

Lucky, my heavy-coated, bracycephalic, low built dog, must be an abhorrent monster.

For sure, the short noses being bred to standard for Boston Terriers and other bracycephalic breeds would be at issue. From discussions with the vets I see regularly, I've learned the veterinary community is quite displeased with that development, they see more and more of those breeds coming in with issues as time goes on and the snout gets shorter. It is not Nature's way.

[Spiritwind]

It is not Nature's way.

It is not Nature's way?? No dog is! They aren't wild animals. tiny small breeds, extra large breed, heavy coated breeds, hairless breeds..... none of it is natures way, you don't see these things naturally in the wild. wild dogs, wolves whatever.. aren't 10lbs... they don't have long fluffy coats that drag the ground...

I know a while back I read an article about banning breeding of certain dogs in Europe, it might have been from the RSPCA, I don't recall, I'll have to try to look it up... but along with bracycephalic breeds, or long, low built dogs, extra large mastiff type breeds....they also wanted to ban breeding of dogs based on their color! I know blue merles were on that list, because they THINK they are sickly and unhealthy, which is absolutely untrue!..

[lizbud]

I say congratulations RSPCA for having the guts & the BEST interest of
all pedigree breeds in mind when making this decision. The overbreeding of
dogs in general & pedigree breeds especially.,are disgraceful & damaging to
each breed. I respect them for their stance.

[Giselle]

Maybe it's just me, but I don't see how you can condone this when you are an avid lover of Bichon Frise. Bichons are nowhere near "nature's way", either. Stout stature, high set tail, curly coat, abnormally small size, etc. (speaking purely in anatomical terms). Do you support the ending of the Bichon breed as we know it? Like Spiritwind already mentioned, NO dog or dog breed is natural.

I just fail to see how we, as natural lovers of certain breeds, can condone the essential destruction of their standards.

Yes, we do need to revamp certain breeding practices, but, if you actually read the standard of many popular breeds, many breeds today are not distorted BECAUSE of their standard. They are distorted due to unethical breeding practices. Standards rarely change for the same reasons that the good ol' Constitution rarely changes. What changes is our interpretation of the standard.

The RSPCA should not be deriding the standards themselves, but the actual breeding practices and ethics.

I've said this before on another forum, but I do think there is something very wrong with dog breeding in general today. However, calling certain breeds "unnatural" and advocating for the demolition of their standard is just a bit asinine. It's not the standard. It's the actual interpretation. Calling for the destruction/boycott of standards is targeting the wrong vice.