The BBC Will Continue to Broadcast Crufts

Published on December 5, 2008 by Ryan O'Meara   ·   9 Comments

Imagine it.

Any day now, this is the headline you could be reading.

Of course, the alternative headline: The BBC Will Not Continue to Broadcast Crufts is also a possibility – as it stands the BBC is currently in the review process but as we know, Crufts is coming round in March and a decision will need to be reached very soon.

So I thought it would be a good opportunity to examine what has changed since Pedigree Dogs Exposed – the documentary which has prompted the BBC to review its status as Crufts broadcaster – was aired.

First off we have to examine the reasons why Pedigree Dogs Exposed was so hard hitting.

All who watched it will recall the Cavaliers in agony. They will recall the frankly shocking views of some of the breeders – for instance the Ridgeback breeder who was fretting that she had to deploy the services of an ‘old retired vet’ to kill her healthy, albeit ridgeless, puppies. We’ll recall the shock and outrage of the exhibitor who not only continued to show her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel dog, despite him being a carrier of the deadly Syringomyelia, but also used him liberally as a stud. The documentary showed the chairman of the Kennel Club objecting that he: “Did not need a bunch of scientists telling me about my dogs”. Put it this way, there was enough material contained within the documentary to cause a fallout that is still rippling.

So compelling was the footage, the RSPCA withdrew from Crufts. They have since been followed by The Dogs Trust, The NDWA and The PDSA. Crufts also lost its main sponsor in a decision that was cited as being commercial and not specifically liked to the documentary.

For its part the Kennel Club have: pre-warned that the documentary was biased, objected that ‘only’ 10% of pedigree dogs have health problems, complained to broadcast regulator OFCOM and then, after much gnashing of teeth, agreed that the public reaction had been listened to and hastily agreed to review the breed standards of every KC recognised breed.

But one or two other little incidents have also cropped up between then and now.

Margaret Carter, the lady who spoke out about Cavalier health in the documentary, was kicked off the committee of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel club for ‘breaching confidentiality’. The Kennel Club, to the shock and surprise of the Cavalier club, came down in firm support of Margaret. And then, to the shock and surprise of anyone who has a shred of understanding as to what the word ’support’ actually means, came out to express their total support for the Cavalier club!

The BBC meanwhile have kept silent. They have constantly refused to answer questions about who it is that is advising them on the future of Crufts, what their qualifications are, what their backgrounds are, whether they have any links to the dog world or – more pertinently – the dog show world. This is highly unusual. Why would the BBC, a public funded body, feel it had the right to operate under a cloak of secrecy? Surely if it wants the public to accept its final decision on whether to continue to air Crufts with respect, it should be utterly transparent about what model it is using to assess the suitability of Crufts in its current form?

Put it this way, the RSPCA have shown no signs of giving Crufts a clean bill of health – and this is an organisation that deals, explicitly with animal welfare issues. The PDSA is even more interesting. This is an organisation that has a network of veterinary practices and who have recently come out publicly to declare that they do NOT accept the Kennel Club’s own claim that ’90% of all pedigree dogs are healthy’. Even more pertinent, the PDSA did not jump ship straight away. They waited to see what was happening. They took the time to obseve the Kennel Club’s strategy for improving dog health. They waited and THEN they withdrew. Read in to that what you will.

So now, let us imagine the headline of this feature is what you read tomorrow: The BBC Will Continue to Broadcast Crufts, how will you view that decision?

Does the BBC know more than the UK’s leading veterinary charity? Do they know more than the UK’s leading animal welfare charity? Do they know more than the UK’s leading dog charity? Do they know more than the UK’s leading dog warden association? Who knows! Because we’ve not been told who is actually advising them. A freedom of information request has been submitted to the corporation but still, no word.

Let us not forget the words of the Kennel Club’s own secretary Caroline Kisko who described the position of the BBC in relation to their continued broadcast of Crufts as “untenable”. Strong stuff.

So which way do you think it will go?

Could the largest publicly funded broadcaster in the world be about to make a Jonathan Ross / Russel Brand sized error of judgement?

Could the Beeb be on the verge of completely misjudging the mood of the public once again?

Or could they be about to follow the lead set by the more highly qualified, experienced professionals from the RSPCA, Dogs Trust, PDSA et al?

Surely the BBC wouldn’t seek to pretend it ‘knew better’ than the UK’s most prominent animal welfare and veterinary charities? Could they?

No doubt we’ll soon find out.

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