Comments on: Breed Club Recommends Healthy Puppies Be Killed

By: Mike Morgan

Mike Morgan — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 10:20:17 +0000

I have owned dogs (or should that be “cohabited with?”)dogs of all shapes and sizes for some 40+ years.
I can hand on heart say that say that each and every one has had a worthwhile life and that they have all repayed me most fully by being totally loyal and trustworthy companions, most importantly not one of these has been a thoroughbred and each and every one has been a rescue case of some description !!!
I presently have a Ridgeback “cross” although visually he is 100% Ridgeback and for my money he is a fairly complete balance of guard dog, house companion, walking companion, somewhat oversize lap dog on occasion! and local pub celebrity etc etc, .
If the self satisfying sadists at the club had gotten their evil way in his case they would have made the world a much poorer, duller and sadder place!
This dog, mainly because of his wonderful temperament and character attracts much attention when he is out and about, often prompting questions such as “Is that one of those Ridgebacky things?”
From this day forth I will take this opportunity to enlighten all who are interested as to the history of the breed and to what the “club” are doing in order to “further” the breed.
Yours, thoroughly sickened at the stomach!, Mike Morgan

By: Kate Hayes

Kate Hayes — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 09:32:17 +0000

I also watched the BBC programme and I was so upset with what we as a human race are doing to these animals. What give us (I say us, i wouldnt really like to consider organisations such as the Kennel Club as the same type of person as anyone with a conscience) the right to ‘play god’ with these breeds? I think i know the answer though. Money. There is big money to be made in dog breeding. If there wasnt, people wouldn’t do it. I dont think these people are animal lovers, they are business people. It insults me that they would even masquerade themselves as caring at all about the welfare of the breed on the whole. Otherwise why breed these animals to encourage a defect and call it an asset? How can that be justified at all - especially to the point where they are happy to kill the puppies that dont have it?! The breeders and the kennel club should be ashamed. This has just made me passionately want to get a ridgeless rhodesian. Hopefully awareness will be raised and more people will want the ridgeless ones, then perhaps if there’s more of a demand, then not so many will be killed.
We can only hope i suppose.

By: Mandy Davidson

Mandy Davidson — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 09:21:08 +0000

After watching the programme on the BBC last night about the Kennel Club and “breed standards” i am appalled at the “breed standards” of many of the pedigrees. Some were just downright cruel.. but to keep on the subject of this post… Ridgebacks were mentioned as having a ridge due to some form of spinal problem. i had wanted a Rhodesian Ridgeback when i no longer work. i shall make sure i get one without a ridge as this would appear to be a far healthier option. i mean.. its like breeding babies with a cleft palette coz they look cute. The kennel club should be ashamed of itself.

By: Tara

Tara — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 23:16:51 +0000

We have a beautiful tricolour Rhodesian Ridgeback with a ridge, he isn’t a cross as many people on seeing him insist, he has KC Registration and the obligatory silly name to prove his bloodline, he is one of the approximately 1 in 400 tricolour RR pups, born of parents who both carry the Agouti gene which causes this colour, this was once commonplace and acceptable as was brindle colouration, these pups of whom only an infintesamle amount survive as the KC would want both parents spayed/neutered and their papers endorsed, many breeders seem to think that killing(culling implies necessity) puppies is the solution to hiding what they see as their dogs genetic shame. So often the paralells between breeder practices and ethnic cleansing are all too apparent, and as for eugenics(what the ****). We are of course biased and to us Frank(our RR)is the most beautiful RR to have ever lived and many people who meet him say that he is more attractive because of his colour. I have known ridged and ridgeless RRs and it makes no difference to their wonderful quirky temperament, grace and strength whether they have a ridge or not or what colour they are and as with any animal inbreeding only creates deformity and weakness. For so many reasons this over legislated country needs new laws for the protection of dogs from these fascistic practices which if continued will deprive many of their Best Friend. Sorry to go on so much but these Master Race types really wind me up.

By: The World of Canine Eugenics

The World of Canine Eugenics — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 21:21:04 +0000

[...] Further Reading [...]

By: Cindy

Cindy — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 21:08:38 +0000

Bruce, my 20 month old ridgeless ridgeback, is without doubt the best dog I have ever owned. If I was intending to breed from him (which I am not), I would have thought that the fact that he has such a wonderful temperament should be seen as a great reason to breed from him and should certainly override any cosmetic reasons not to !

By: mandy

mandy — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 08:34:04 +0000

I have a 9mth old ridgeless RR, he is one of the best things that has happened to our family, we adore him & i cant imagine being without him, Ridge or Not. we love him not the ridge he hasnt got.

By: RR Lover

RR Lover — Mon, 05 May 2008 09:48:09 +0000

That’s one of the reasons I did not renew my memebership many years ago because I broke their code of ethics before they added the slight get out clause - then the only option by their code was to cull) - I reared a ridgless ridgeback & sold him for rearing costs to a family who could not afford a ridged RR. He was a fine speciman & made a lovely family pet for 13 happy healthy years.

By: Dave the Dog

Dave the Dog — Fri, 02 May 2008 12:06:17 +0000

Gnasher
Now thats the type of cynicism I like! Waterboard indeed!

By: Gnasher

Gnasher — Fri, 02 May 2008 11:10:46 +0000

Nice One Ryan O

This is exactly the sort of misuse of wording that leads to ‘misunderstandings’ such as:

‘when I advised you to ‘cull’ half of the litter, I did not mean kill them just spay or neuter them!’

Yeah right, get a grip, otherwise surely you could then say:

‘The ‘waterboard’ will call back later’

Which, the CIA or the local water company?