Comments on: Breed Club Recommends Healthy Puppies Be Killed

By: Caren

Caren — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 19:07:10 +0000

Idea !! why doesn’t the Kennel Club add the ridgeless to it’s list of breeds.. just like the long and short haired breeds ???

By: lindee loo

lindee loo — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 20:58:30 +0000

I have a ridegeless ridgeback who came from a rescue home, who was listed as a mongrel! He was so under weight i have given him another chance and am glad that i did he is a smashing dog. He now looks every inch a ridgeback except for the ridge. I am not going to breed him anyway and it makes no difference what he is to us…… just a great dog…. who deserved the chance of a decent life.. no dog should be culled unless there is illness.
If the breeders do not want to use a ridgeless dog for breeding thats fine but do not cull dogs just because they have no ridge.
Breed standards are just something us humans decide,
More importantly choose the right dog for yourself/family i wish more people done this and perhaps our rescue homes would not be filled with so many dogs that us humans inappropriatly choose!

By: Rhonda

Rhonda — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 19:34:14 +0000

The more humane thing to do is to find lovings homes for the ridgeless puppies, with the contract to have the puppy spayed or neutered. In fact, it would even better if the breeder would agree to take care of the spaying or neutering when the puppy reaches the right age. I have a 10-1/2 year old ridgeless Ridgeback, and we love him. He is the best dog we’ve ever had. I don’t care that he doesn’t have a ridge. We love the dog and I would love to have another one just like him, when he passes on someday. There are other alternatives to killing and culling, or whatever you want to call it. Bottom line, you’re killing them unnecessarily.

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 07:27:44 +0000

Oh for god’s sake, get a grip! While I personally wouldn’t have any problem with a ridgeless Ridgeback, I’m equally untroubled by the humane killing of some dogs.

Unless ALL of you are vegetarians, you can hardly object to animals who have been bred for a purpose being killed by those who bred them. Why don’t you focus your outrage on cruelty perpetrated on dogs – putting down a small proportion of puppies in a humane manner is far less of a problem.

And for those of you who think this is eugenics – stop anthropomorphizing animals, they really hate that!

By: Christine Gurr

Christine Gurr — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 09:05:14 +0000

@Cindy,

I too am the very proud owner of a ridgeless ridgeback, i have already been ask if i am thinking of breeding from him, (He is only 5 months old). He too has a wonderful temperament and is absolutely handsome. if we decide to get a second dog that to will be ridgeless

By: Jane Renwick

Jane Renwick — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 11:12:22 +0000

For the person who stated that culling does not mean killing – how you insult people with your justifcation, go to your underhand vet and do your ethnic cleansing, just hope you can sleep at night. Dress it up all you like I know what you do and NOTHING AND NOBODY will change my views so do not waste your time trying to justify your murdering ways – I AM JUST NOT INTERESTED IN YOU. TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT YOURSELF – ARE YOU PERFECT – I DOUBT IT. PERHAPS WE SHOULD GET RID OF ALL THOSE THAT WEAR GLASSES, ARE NOT THIN ENOUGH, HAVE THE WRONG COLOUR HAIR – THINK ON – WASN'T IT HITLER THAT WANTED A RACE BLONDE & BLUE EYED?

Good on the BBC for bringing this issue to the forefront – but trust me there is more to follow on this. Keep watching!!!

By: Jane Renwick

Jane Renwick — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 11:11:35 +0000

I am the proud owner of a ridgeless ridgeback. She is the most beautiful bitch you ever seen. Without fail I am stopped by admirers and ALL congratulate me on owning such a splendid bitch and already I have a long list of persons wishing to have one her puppies when I decide to breed from her. I would buy every last
ridgeless dog if I could and I have made sure that EVERYONE I speak to is aware of the underhand way in which TRUE HEALTHY puppies are murdered because they have no ridge. You – and you know who you are are doing no more than ethnic cleansing – your actions are no better than what the Germans did to the Jews, no better than the Serbs – who the hell do YOU THINK YOU ARE. What gives YOU the right to kill a good healthy puppy. I will continue to promote the ridgeless puppy and breed good healthy puppies. You all hide behind your clubs and have been brain washed in thinking only ridged puppies have a right to live. All you non ridge haters – get a life, we do no care what you say or do because we are laughing at you and will flush your murdering ways out for good.

By: Kate

Kate — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 21:32:05 +0000

My husband and I would prefer a puppy without a ridge but we’re unsure where to find one. Does anyone know where we can obtain one of these perfectly healthy dogs for our loving home?

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.