15
Mar
Mar
RSPCA Open Letter to Kennel Club: Crufts TV Coverage Attacked
The following is an open letter to Kennel Club chief executive Rosemary Smart on behalf of the RSPCA in relation to Crufts 2011.
I am writing to express the RSPCA’s grave concern about the coverage of Crufts on More 4 during which interviewees and presenters repeatedly gave the message that pedigree dogs, including those shown at Crufts, are happy and healthy.
This is misleading to the public and extremely disappointing as we had hoped the coverage would be open and honest about the serious health and welfare issues that continue to affect many pedigree dogs, without glossing over the issues. After all, this is one of the biggest challenges facing dog welfare in the UK today.
Many pedigree dogs remain vulnerable to unnecessary disease, disability, pain or behavioural problems because they’re bred primarily for how they look rather than with health, welfare or temperament in mind.
Indeed, footage of some of the dogs at Crufts this year demonstrated the exaggerated features that we are so concerned about. As just one example, during the judging of the Working Group the commentators said that a dog was free from exaggerations. The dog in question clearly had extremely folded skin and drooping eyelids, which can lead to suffering.
Three reports on the welfare problems associated with dog breeding have been published in the UK in the last two years, and the conclusions of each are very clear – urgent action is needed to safeguard the welfare of pedigree dogs.
Although some progress has been made by the dog world, it has not been nearly enough and the problems are far from being solved. Both experts and the various reports on this issue recognise that it will take decades before the problems really begin to be resolved – and only then if sufficient effort is made by everyone in the dog world.
It is extremely misleading to suggest not only that the problems have been solved after only two years, but that pedigree dogs are happy and healthy.
Yours sincerely
Mark Watts
Chief Executive
RSPCA
Chief Executive
RSPCA
I found the whole theme of happy healthy dogs a bit hard to swallow. My mother refuses to watch it anymore as she finds it too upsetting. It is deceitful to suggest that every dog there was healthy. When the GSD won it’s group I wondered if the judges and commentators saw the same dog as me? They said it was a fine example of the breed!? To me it look a bit disabled and not capable of carrying out the tasks it was originally bred for. Many of the show dogs looked neither happy nor healthy. It made me wonder if, as it’s twitter name suggests, the KC really does love dogs?
At least there was more opportunity this year, (online) to see the healthy dogs in action, namely everything but the showing!
The only thing I like to watch Crufts for is the agility/flyball/heel work to music. Only during these events will you see very happy and healthy dogs, but they’re given minimal coverage!! I don’t want tosee the shepherd walking almost on it’s hocks or the bull dog with breathing problems. They addressed the issue only once, and said a lot without saying anything. These people don’t love dogs, they love the money the puppies generate.
I’m sorry, so how many puppy farms did the RSPCA close last year? Or rather would it be better to ask how many stayed open? How can a large organisation such as this be so overtly hypocritical. So concerned for the welfare of pedigree dogs then why are they not focussing their efforts on changing legislation that allows puppy farms to run? Oh yes and I forgot their head vet in another article was condoning and supporting neutering for 6 week olds. Putting animals that young through surgery? Tailoring the animal welfare act around your needs much?
For the most part crufts is improving. I like to watch it and see how far the breeds have come. Some are getting there quicker then others but lets not forget those bred outside the UK and therefore not relelvant to the current issue with UK breed standards.
If the breed standard isn’t changed by the breed clubs then the judge has to judge based upon the standard. So lets go after those breed clubs who refuse to change instead of bashing Crufts.
I don’t what crufts as I get really upset. The dogs aren’t happy, you can tell a mile off. You can see clearly that they are only bred for one thing and one thing only. I have a GSD and I am so pleased that his is straight backed and not sloped. You look at some of the show GSD and they look as if their back legs are going to give way and they look in pain.
Something has got to be done before it is too LATE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
yet again, this is a case of someone tarring every breeder/exhibitor with the same brush, which is just as dangerous as glossing over the health issues. I exhibit at crufts and many of the other shows throughout the year, however I am not a monster with grossly disfigured animals. My breed has remained a functional breed perfectly capable of carrying out the tasks they were bred for, and just because they behave in the show ring doesn’t mean they don’t enjoy it, mine love going for days out to shows! There are breeds that still have serious health issues, and I do find it terrible that the breed clubs associated with these animals are denying there is an issue with the way their dogs are built. The Kennel Club are trying, hence the removal of CC’s for GSD’s…it won’t stop the hardcore ‘devotees’ breeding the way they always have, but it’s a step in the right direction. Perhaps refusing to register pups from parents with severe exaggerations would be more of a kick up the backside from them? Don’t get me wrong this isn’t a dig purely at the GSD people as there are many breeds that should take a step back and look at the functionality of their animals, but having a dig at crufts is not going to solve anything, this continues to go on at all the other champ shows throughout the year that aren’t as public centred. Change will take time so people should do their best to work with it, not jump on the bandwagon and slate it because its become the popular thing to do.
Also, I have no idea how the RSPCA can be so critical of the dog showing fraternity, there are many amongst it that treat their dogs as household pets and love them dearly, which is more than can be said for many working on behalf of them RSPCA that seem to think everything is about money, or publicity. Perhaps if they tried having the welfare of animals at the forefront more often, they wouldn’t have lost so many supporters.
This is a bit like the pot calling the kettle black. Neither KC nor Rspca do anything pratical about puppy farming, the other huge scandal of the dog world. Indeed KC knowingly take money to register pup farm dogs on regular basis.
Recently Puppy Love called RSPCA to help dogs on an illegal puppy farm, RSPCA passed complaint to local authority who did nothing to aid the dogs and gave the breeder a license to breed. The animal welfare act was being breached on every level yet RSPCA did not attend the scene until most dogs had been passed to other pup farmers and the place had been cleaned up, apparently!
Even where you see pedigree dogs happy and doing agility doesn’t mean to say that they are as healthy as they look.
My 7 year old, former top ABC (anything but collie) agility dog is now showing her faulty genes. If she survives over another year she will be one very lucky dog. It is heartbreaking, and the message being put out by the KC is PURE DENIAL !!!! They ought to come here to see and hear my girl who now struggles for breath, and will loose her mobility within the next year.
>When the GSD won it’s group I wondered if the judges and commentators saw the same dog as me? They said it was a fine example of the breed!? To me it look a bit disabled and not capable of carrying out the tasks it was originally bred for.<
If the dog is "disabled"then how come he has his Sch H III qualification ? (German working test similar to the Police Dog stake in UK Working Trials)
The dog has been X rayed for HD & ED, blood tested for Haemophillia.
How many of the so called healthy mongrels that the RSPCA support have even had one health test done on them ????