24 Jun 2020
“…do you really want to contribute to a welfare crisis where thousands of puppies are bred in appalling circumstances just to satisfy the huge demand for these breeds?” – Brachycephalic Working Group.
James Westgate
Job Title
Calls for the public to “stop and think before buying a flat-faced dog” have been renewed after the French bulldog returned to the top of the rankings as the UK’s most popular breed.
According to the latest 2020 registration data released by Brachycephalic Working Group (BWG) member organisation The Kennel Club, the French bulldog once again has the highest puppy registrations of any breed during January to March 2020.
New statistics from PDSA, and also released by the BWG, show Google searches for “buying a puppy” increased by 175% in one month of UK lockdown compared to the average.
Searches for French bulldog puppies via The Kennel Club’s “Find a Puppy“ tool also increased by 225% during April and May 2020, as people stayed home, compared to the same time last year.
The BWG includes the major stakeholders in dog welfare in the UK, such as:
It has also warned that increased demand for flat-faced puppies, fuelled by the pandemic, could worsen the already serious health and welfare crisis faced by these breeds, and is asking the public to “stop and think before buying a flat-faced dog”.
BWG chairman Dan O’Neill said: “It’s vital that people stop and think. Getting a flat-faced puppy without being aware of the potential health and welfare issues it might face – especially if is is bred indiscriminately to meet demand – will have a devastating and long-lasting impact for thousands of dogs and owners in the UK.
“Rather than making an impulsive decision – or choosing a dog because it seems popular, cute or fashionable – we urge anyone considering buying a flat-faced breed to do their research first.
“It is true that some flat-faced breeds often have lovely characters, but do you really want to contribute to a welfare crisis where thousands of puppies are bred in appalling circumstances just to satisfy the huge demand for these breeds?”
