Pugs and Bulldogs lead a miserable life
Desmond Bellamy
New South Wales, Australia
January 26, 2018
The decision of Trade Me to ban the sale of bulldogs and pugs from March 1, 2018 is a great start, but more needs to be done to restrict the breeding of brachycephalic, or flat-faced, dogs.
Miserable life
Pugs, bulldogs and other ‘flat-faced’ dogs face a life of misery due to reckless breeding, according to veterinarians and the RSPCA, with many requiring surgery, just to be able to breathe properly.
Some are sleep deprived because they cannot breathe when they lie down, while others develop oesophageal issues requiring them to be fed in a baby’s high chair.
These dogs may also be susceptible to heat stress, eye problems, dental disease, skin infections and spinal deformities.
Unnatural traits
These are just a few of the many problems associated with breeding dogs to have certain unnatural physical traits at the expense of their health.
About one in four purebred dogs is afflicted with serious congenital defects, including hypothyroidism, demodectic mange, epilepsy, cataracts, allergies, chronic ear infections, hip dysplasia and others that have been handed down through generations of inbreeding.
While breeders churn our dogs for profit, thousands of homeless animals are destroyed in New Zealand every year for lack of good homes.
If you have the time, space, money, and compassion needed to care for an animal, please adopt a homeless dog or cat from the local animal shelter or rescue group.
Never buy an animal from a pet store or breeder, and always have your animal companion desexed to prevent contributing to the overpopulation crisis that sees so many animals languishing in shelters across the country.
Desmond Bellamy is Special Projects Coordinator of PETA, based in Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia
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Picture Courtesy: pugspurelypugs.com
