Should the breeding of brachycephalic dog breeds be banned in the UK?
Edward Starr
Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) is a congenital defect present in four of the top ten dog breeds in the UK. The four breeds are the French bulldog, currently the most popular dog breed in the UK, as well as the British bulldog, the pug, and the Staffordshire bull terrier (Brown, 2021). It is estimated that between 700,000 and 1.9 million puppies are purchased in the UK per annum ( Animal Welfare in England: domestic pets , 2016), with that number at an all-time high because of the coronavirus pandemic. Since 2018, the French bulldog has been the most popular dog breed in the UK, with the number of these puppies increasing by 3000% over the past decade ( Breed to Breathe campaign , 2021). This spike in popularity is most likely due to the breed being popular with celebrities and social media influencers. Despite their popularity, many potential owners are not aware of the serious breathing problems these puppies are born with. According to the British Veterinary Association ( Breed to Breathe campaign , 2021), 56% of all French bulldogs require treatment for breed-related illnesses as a result of the poor genetic diversity in the breed and constant inbreeding. It has been observed that even from birth, the lives of most brachycephalic dogs are plagued with stress and anxiety. Brachycephaly is when a dog is bred to have a short snout and a wide face with bulging eyes, a look that many owners find appealing due to its resemblance to a human child (Pedersen, 2016). As a result of the breeds’ ‘cuteness’, the dogs have an elongated soft palate which protrudes into the airway and interferes with airflow, narrow or collapsing stenotic nares (nostrils) which restrict airflow, and everted laryngeal saccules which partially block the trachea, according to the American College of Veterinary Surgeons ( Brachycephalic Syndrome n.d.). The combination of these structural abnormalities make breathing extremely laborious for such dogs depending on how severe the conformational (structural) deformities are, and this varies between dogs. Many of these dogs become obese as they cannot easily exercise and additionally overheat easily in hot weather, as breathing takes so much effort they cannot pant to cool down. As said by the president of the BVA Sean Wensley in a statement ( Vets urge revision of breed standards to protect animal welfare , 2016): ‘B rachycephalic dogs should not be seen as cute or desirable, rather as dogs predisposed to a lifetime of poor health .’ This quotation perfectly sums up how unethical it is to continue breeding brachycephalic dogs when all they will experience in the early stages of life is anxiety, chronic pain and suffering. As seen above, BOAS affects the do g’s ability to live a life without anxiety and suffering. This is in fact in breach of some of the globally accepted five freedoms of animal welfare. The purpose of this framework is to protect the health and welfare of all animals in an easily measured way. The five freedoms are as follows: ‘ freedom from hunger and thirst . . . freedom from [environmental] discomfort . . . freedom from pain, injury or disease . . . freedom to express normal behaviour . . . and freedom from fear and distress’ ( What are the five freedoms of animal welfare? 2021). By breaching one of the five freedoms, an owner is liable to
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