Leading Vet Charity Supports Change of Culture in Dog Breeding
PDSA, the UK’s leading veterinary charity, welcomes the recommendations outlined in the Bateson Report published today. It raises some very important health and welfare issues and lays the foundations for more structured and effective dog breeding regulations.
Richard Hooker, PDSA’s Director of Veterinary Services, said: “Every day, PDSA vets are confronted with the health and welfare issues arising from selective dog breeding. These include behavioural issues and problems associated with the dog’s overall appearance, which can be extreme in some breeds.
“Seeing a pedigree dog with health problems resulting directly from selective breeding is very disheartening. So we warmly welcome any recommendations that can reassess dog breeding as a whole and change the culture which seeks to define an ‘ideal’ shape, size and look of a pedigree dog.”
Mr Hooker added: “The health and welfare of pedigree dogs is rightly at the forefront of today’s report. It offers considered recommendations that aim to address the problems associated with irresponsible breeding. It also stresses the importance of educating prospective buyers so that they obtain their puppy from a reputable source, thereby creating demand for healthy animals.”
PDSA leads the way in providing information for pet owners with initiatives such as the charity’s online tool, Your Right Pet: designed to help prospective pet owners make an informed choice.
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Richard adds: “The proposed changes recommended in the report are inevitable and long overdue. If new regulations are introduced it will understandably take time, but it’s a major step in the right direction for pedigree dogs, that all deserve a happy and healthy life.
“All parties must now work together to ensure these recommendations lead to significant and lasting benefits in animal welfare.”
• The Bateson report recommends that all dogs should be permanently identified. PDSA has always supported permanent identification and believes microchipping is particularly effective. Making it compulsory would be a step in the right direction to ensure that dogs can be individually traced.
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