WSAVA supports Norwegian ban on specific dog breeding

The WSAVA has responded to a Norwegian court ruling that bans the breeding of English bulldogs and cavalier King Charles spaniels.

Through its Hereditary Disease Committee and Animal Wellness and Welfare Committee, the WSAVA said in a statement it endorsed the Norwegian Animal Welfare Act and offered tacit support for its new breeding restrictions.

A position statement released by the WSAVA said: “We support and promote the breeding of healthy animals, and support animal welfare laws that reduce the suffering of animals and optimise their welfare.

“We also support the efforts of Animal Protection Norway and the Norwegian Animal Welfare Act that states: ‘Breeding should promote traits that provide robust animals with good function and health.’

“Health-focused breeding and husbandry practices are the means to improve the health of purposely bred animals. The selection of breeding dogs and cats must avoid the extreme conformation that predisposes to disease and poor welfare.”

Ruling

Norwegian animal group the NSPA brought the case to the Oslo District Court, which ruled breeding English bulldogs and cavalier King Charles spaniels – both of which are prone to health problems due to selective breeding – contravened Norway’s Animal Welfare Act.

Chief executive of the NSPA Åshild Roaldset said the group was delighted with the WSAVA policy paper and its support.

Dr Roaldset said: “It is of vital importance that the veterinary community, and scientists in general, speak up for the dogs.

“We have ample evidence that certain breeds are extremely inbred and at the same time have an enormous disease burden.

“For these breeds, it is literally impossible to improve the breed within the remaining gene pool.

“We did this to the dogs; it did not come naturally. What was okay 50 years ago is not okay anymore, and we owe it to our dogs to do our very best to change things for the better.

“Our dogs should benefit from the current scientific and technological development.”

Welcome

The WSAVA statement has also been welcomed by the Brachycephalic Working Group (BWG), which campaigns to dissuade the sale of the flat-faced breeds.

Dan O’Neill, who chairs the BWG, said: “The UK BWG is pleased to see increasing focus being placed internationally on issues around brachycephaly in dogs.

“The BWG also continues to highlight that the brachycephalic conformation is frequently associated with serious health problems in dogs, and that tackling the animal health and welfare problems linked to breeding for the brachycephalic conformation is one of the UK’s leading canine welfare priorities.

“Among the efforts to redress these issues include consensus statements on airway surgery and heat-related illness, repeated appeals to the media and advertisers to avoid using images of brachycephalic dogs, and contributions to recent updates to move the French bulldog breed standard towards a more moderate conformation.”

Support

The BSAVA has said it also supports the WSAVA’s statement. A spokesperson said: “The BSAVA supports the statement by the WSAVA regarding the recent Norwegian court case and agrees with them in recognising that different countries have different approaches to improving animal welfare.

“The BSAVA supports the UK BWG’s effort to educate, using the best available scientific evidence, members of the public and the breeding community about the health and welfare problems linked to breeding for the brachycephalic conformation.

“Central to these ambitions is an effective working relationship between the veterinary professions and those breeders who are focused on trying to improve the health of their animals by reforming the breeding and showing of animals with a brachycephalic conformation.

“The BSAVA supports epidemiological and genetic research into the prevalence and molecular mechanisms of inherited diseases in dogs and cats.

“Currently, there is limited evidence available and continued research is needed to further inform this subject.”