4 Feb 2022
RVC’s Brachycephalic Working Group reveals a group of Aberdeen-based breeders has imported a litter of dogs bred to be hairless – which BVA president Justine Shotton describes as “extremely concerning”.
Joshua Silverwood
Job Title
Justine Shotton, BVA president.
The BVA has called for stronger enforcement of breed regulations following widespread concern around reports that the first litter of hairless French bulldogs has been imported into the UK.
Vets across the profession have reacted with shock after the RVC’s Brachycephalic Working Group (BWG) revealed a group of Aberdeen-based breeders has imported a litter of French bulldogs, bred to be hairless.
President of the BVA Justine Shotton has described the situation as “extremely concerning” and called for a greater enforcement of the rules on dog breeders.
Dr Shotton said: “Reports that a litter of hairless French bulldog-crosses has been brought into the UK are extremely concerning. As a profession, we have a real responsibility to say that while we care deeply for each existing animal, unscrupulous breeding for ‘novelty’ looks without thought to animal welfare is not okay.
“We have been raising concerns over the issues with brachycephaly and other extreme conformations for many years now, following a social media-fuelled burst in popularity among consumers who are often unaware of the potentially serious health and welfare issues that accompany such breeding.”
She continued: “We recognise the licensing regulations in England and Scotland include conditions around knowingly breeding from a dog when the parents’ or offspring’s health and welfare could be compromised, so we’d like to see these enforced and breeders prioritising health over looks.
“We would encourage vets to continue to share pre-purchase advice with clients, and to recommend the use of the Puppy Contract to ensure they are getting a healthy and well-socialised puppy from a responsible source.”
Last year, The Kennel Club reviewed the French bulldog’s breed standard and updated its guidance to ensure extreme and exaggerated features that can lead to breathing problems are avoided.
The change in the standard follows the group’s imposition of its Respiratory Function Grading Scheme, developed in 2019 alongside the University of Cambridge, as a way to assess a dog for brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome.
Bill Lambert is health, welfare and breeder services executive at The Kennel Club, and a founder of the BWG, and while the group has not yet defined how hairlessness could impact on breed health, Mr Lambert described the litter a “real concern”.
He said: “Breeding that focuses on what people see as ‘novel’, ‘glamorous’ or ‘rare’ features can mean the most important factors – like health, welfare and temperament – have been forgotten or overlooked, by both potential owners and unscrupulous breeders, cashing in on a ‘trend’.
“In particular, with some brachycephalic breeds that have surged in popularity to their detriment of their health and welfare, using extreme features to sound appealing or as a marketing tool is simply unacceptable.”
Mr Lambert continued: “Dogs like French bulldogs and pugs must be bred carefully and responsibly, using evidence-based tools such as The Kennel Club/University of Cambridge Respiratory Function Grading Scheme, with health as the first consideration. Similarly, they should not be bought on a whim or due to ‘trend’.
“For any breed, exaggerated and extreme features must be avoided, and it’s crucial breeders and, indeed, potential owners, never place what they believe looks ‘rare’ or ‘glamorous’ over a dog’s health and welfare. This must be the absolute priority.”
While the new puppies were originally announced as hairless French bulldogs on social media, staff at The Kennel Club determined they must in fact be mixed with the Chinese crested hairless to some degree.
Dan O’Neill, senior lecturer in companion animal epidemiology at the RVC and chairman of the BWG, said: “It’s unacceptable for breeders or indeed owners to place what they believe looks ‘rare’ or ‘glamorous’ above the need for a dog to have good health and welfare.
“This report of ‘hairless French bulldogs’ and development of a new flat-faced ‘breed’ is another example of harmful extreme conformation, which comes among others like ‘teacup dogs’, or ‘exotic’ or ‘rope nose bullies’.”
He continued: “The bottom line here is that it is simply unacceptable.
“In fact, breeding, marketing, and selling dogs with intentionally harmful and greater extremes is both against the law, and seriously worsening the already existing health crisis for flat-faced dogs.
“For the sake of the nation’s dogs, potential owners must stop and think – avoid being inadvertently sucked in by advertising to purchase an extreme type of dog – and we urge breeders to always and absolutely prioritise health and welfare.”
There have been long-standing concerns regarding the health of certain dogs breeds in many countries and last month a court in Norway banned the breeding of English bulldogs and cavalier King Charles spaniels.
The Norwegian Animal Protection Alliance brought the case to the Oslo District Court that ruled breeding the dogs – both of which are prone to health problems due to selective breeding – contravened Norway’s Animal Welfare Act.
Vets have previously raised concerns over the King Charles spaniel’s likelihood to suffer deformed skulls, increasing their risk of Chiari malformation and syringomyelia (bit.ly/35Ba0eu).
