Dear South Africa: end the abuse; ban the breeding of brachycephalic dogs NOW.

Brachycephalic: you may not know that you know the term, but you will recognise these brachycephalic dogs:

Pugs; English/French bulldogs; Boston Terriers; Shih Tzus; Pekingese; Boxers; Chows…

The list goes on.

The term ‘brachycephalic’ refers to flat-faced dogs. They may seem cute with their scrunched-up noses, but behind their ‘smile’ is a world of suffering.

So why should these breeds not be forced to exist? The facts are clear.

Most flat-faced breeds don’t mate naturally and are artificially inseminated. Over 80% of French bulldog litters are born by c-section. This number is only topped by English bulldogs at 86% and Boston Terriers at 92%. French bulldogs are almost 16 times more likely to endure difficult births than other female dogs.

 

Breathing problems - brachycephalic dogs often suffer from Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndromes or BOAS. The ‘cute’ and popular/well-recognised snorting, panting and snoring that flat-faced dogs do is NOT cute - they’re struggling to breathe and can’t get enough oxygen. Surgery is often necessary to correct this, the most common procedure being nostril widening.

 

Lifespan - because of BOAS or other respiratory issues, the average lifespan of a brachycephalic dog is 2.17 years. That is only 1 million, 140 thousand and 552 minutes of life, most of which are spent struggling for oxygen.
For context, you’ve probably spent just over a minute reading this petition. If you were to read this petition a million times at a minute per read, during that time a pug would live its entire life. A pit bull would only live one tenth of its life.

Flat-faced dogs aren’t able to regulate their body heat properly, as they have much narrower nasal cavities than other dogs. They are the dogs most likely to overheat and die during summer months, and can’t even enjoy regular dog activities like playing or going for walks.

Brachycephalic dogs are more likely than any other dogs to contract illnesses. In the case of French Bulldogs, they are susceptible to: eye ulcers (377% more likely than other breeds), skin cancer (86%), fungal skin disease (94%), pneumonia (109%), heat stroke (146%), as well as heart disease, dental problems, digestive issues and kneecap dislocation. In the results of a recent study, more than 70% of 1-year-old Frenchies had a medical condition.

Kennel clubs encourage unethical standards when breeding brachycephalic dogs - the flatter their faces, the better. Sometimes the shorter their legs (think of Pekingese dogs), the better - which host a whole other level of problems. These dogs are literally designed to suffer because they look cute.

Some countries have already banned the breeding of Brachycephalic dogs. South Africa, show that you care - follow suit and ban the breeding of the dog breeds listed above. There is no such thing as ethical breeding of dogs who are bred to suffer.
Your dog is a designer dog - designed to die.

 

 

 

Sources:

1. Sophie Gamand - the following sources are secondary
2. Great expectations, inconvenient truths, and the paradoxes of the dog-owner relationship for owners of brachycephalic dogs. Packer RMA et al. 2019 
3. Characterisation of brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome in French bulldogs using whole-body barometric plethysmography. Nai-Chieh Liu et al. 2015
4. Proportions of litters of purebred dogs born by Caesarean section. Katy M Evans et al. 2010