LETTER FROM LONDON:RSPCA claims Kennel Club's ban on incestuous breeding not radical enough, writes FRANK MILLAR.
DOGS MAY be man’s best friend, but friends in Britain’s dog-loving fraternity have been deeply divided by the row over genetic diseases resulting from the in-breeding of pedigree animals in a quest for “perfection” – the prioritising of appearance over a dog’s health and happiness. And the controversy is back in the spotlight with the advent of Crufts 2009, which opened yesterday.
Crufts may still be “the world’s largest dog show”, with as many as 28,000 “healthy, happy dogs enjoying the thrills and excitement of Best in Show with their owners”. But enthusiasts wanting to follow that happy trail (or tail) will have to travel to the NEC in Birmingham, or content themselves with watching the canine extravaganza on the internet. The BBC has dropped its coverage of the event – and forfeited an audience share of some 14 million – in the bitter aftermath of last year’s shocking documentary Pedigree Dogs Exposed, which claimed not only that dogs suffering from genetic illnesses were allowed to compete in dog shows but could actually win “best” in their breeds.
The Kennel Club accused the BBC of bias after the broadcast, which shook dog lovers and non-dog-lovers alike with graphic illustrations of the physical problems resulting from mating dogs with parents or siblings in the search for an award-winning look. Alongside boxers with epilepsy, pugs with breathing problems and bulldogs no longer able to mate or give birth without assistance, the documentary showed a prize-winning Cavalier King Charles suffering from syringomyelia – a condition which occurs when a dog’s skull is too small for its brain.
This was hideous, harrowing viewing that prompted widespread calls for action. The expose was assisted by the RSPCA, which has withdrawn its Crufts sponsorship. For some, like your correspondent, there was a sharp reminder of the often limited knowledge and awareness that even dedicated pet owners have. Personal experience, though, informed caution against damning all breeders because of the activities of the unscrupulous. While knowing people blissfully unaware of the potential breathing problem until a first emergency visit to the vet, I bought our adored pug Lola (‘she was a showgirl’) from a respected breeder of Crufts champions to whom I would return without hesitation.
The Kennel Club also introduced new standards for 2009 breeds designed to prevent “exaggeration” and incestuous breeding, and to exclude “anything that could in any way be interpreted as encouraging features that might prevent a dog breathing, walking and seeing freely”. The pedigree bulldog, for example, should be leaner and no longer encouraged to have heavy jowls or deep, overhanging wrinkles – which lead to pinched nostrils, potentially affecting breathing – and which would henceforth be unacceptable and heavily penalised. The forelegs of German shepherds, likewise, should not be weak or overlong so affecting the dog’s working ability. The RSPCA’s chief veterinary adviser, Mark Evans, described the ban on incestuous breeding as “brilliant news” while suggesting the changes to standards were insufficiently radical to make a difference. While welcoming the actions taken by the Kennel Club, the BBC also stuck by its decision not to cover this year’s Crufts after the club’s refusal to withdraw more than a dozen breeds deemed at risk.
The Kennel Club said the BBC had failed to take account of the measures put in place to improve the health of pedigree dogs, “or of the fact that judges will be trained to help ensure that all dogs being awarded prizes will be healthy representatives of their breed”.
If the decision left the Kennel Club “disappointed and confused”, however, the BBC can certainly be taken at face value when it stresses its desire to continue discussions in the hope that the situation might be reviewed at a future point. A senior executive told The Irish Times this was anything but a “cost-free” decision for the corporation. Over four days last year Crufts attracted an audience of some 14 million – one of the higher-rated shows on BBC 2, where the most popular Top Gear attracts average audiences of between six and eight million. The BBC has no desire to cut off that audience section and would like it back. For the dogs’ sake, let’s hope the broadcaster eventually has its way.