Our actions for pedigree dog welfare
Here are just some of the important actions that we have taken for pedigree dog welfare since the BBC documentary Pedigree Dogs Exposed aired in August 2008.
Working together
We have been working with other key organisations to discuss and debate the welfare issues associated with dog breeding and to take forward possible solutions. This includes participating in two stakeholder groups that were set up after Pedigree Dogs Exposed for this purpose. Other key organisations participating in the groups included the Kennel Club, Dogs Trust, Blue Cross, PDSA, British Veterinary Association Animal Welfare Foundation and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.
The first to pull out of Crufts
The RSPCA decided not to attend Crufts 2009 to send a clear message that urgent action must be taken to improve pedigree dog health and welfare. We believe that from a health and welfare point of view ‘beauty pageant’ dog shows that use current Kennel Club ‘Breed Standards’ as the main judging criteria are fundamentally flawed.
Several other leading animal welfare charities and show sponsors followed suit and the BBC decided not to broadcast the show. The RSPCA has not attended Crufts since 2008.
Independent scientific report
In order to make a constructive contribution towards identifying practical ways forward to improve pedigree dog welfare, we commissioned an independent scientific report on pedigree dog breeding. The findings and conclusions of this report- Pedigree dog breeding in the UK: a major welfare concern? – informed the RSPCA’s position on this serious issue.
New research into inherited diseases
The authors of the RSPCA commissioned report as well as those of two other reports on dog breeding identified the urgent need for systematic collection of data on inherited diseases. In fact, this was considered to be the most urgent recommendation by the authors of the RSPCA commissioned report.
We are collaborating with the Royal Veterinary College and the University of Sydney on a three-year PhD research project to develop a new system for data collection, analysis and interpretation. The welfare issues associated with selective breeding affect other companion animal species too, so the project will cover cats as well as dogs. The project aims to estimate the prevalence of inherited and acquired disorders in dogs and cats in order to identify breeds at greatest risk of specific conditions.
Work on the project commenced in October 2010 and more information is available on the project website.
Get Puppy Smart Campaign
The three reports on dog breeding all concluded that there was an urgent need to provide potential puppy buyers with expert, evidence-based information on how to choose a puppy. The RSPCA therefore commissioned the University of Bristol to write a 10 step guide to choosing a puppy. This covers key points that potential puppy buyers should consider from the moment they consider buying a puppy, through to choosing a happy, healthy puppy to take home.
The information has been used to underpin the RSPCA’s Get Puppy Smart campaign which launched in early 2011. The campaign aims to provide potential owners with the information they need to make properly informed decisions when choosing a happy, healthy puppy. It also aims to change the behaviour of buyers from making decisions based solely on appearance to prioritising behaviour, health and welfare instead.
Puppy Sales Contract
The concept of a puppy sales contract was also identified as a key action to improve dog welfare. We are therefore collaborating with the BVA Animal Welfare Foundation (BVA AWF) to develop documentation that will enable the public to make properly informed decisions when buying a puppy.
Work on the contract is ongoing, but the concept is that a seller of any puppy (including pure bred and crossbreed dogs) should provide a ‘Puppy Information Pack’ (‘PIP’). This will provide the buyer with information about the puppy and its parents. The PIP would be tied into a simple contract containing a warranty from the seller that the information in the PIP is true and complete. The first stage of this work was completed in 2010 and the RSPCA and BVA AWF will continue to work on this in 2011.
Independent Advisory Council
The urgent need for an independent Advisory Council to provide advice on the welfare issues associated with dog breeding was also identified by all three reports on dog breeding. The RSPCA worked collaboratively with other organisations throughout 2010 to take this forward. The Advisory Council on the Welfare Issues of Dog Breeding was established in late 2010 and the RSPCA is a Patron of the Council. Further information is available on the council's website.
Humane Society United States (HSUS) conference
The RSPCA co-sponsored a two day HSUS hosted conference in April 2011 on dog genetics, health and behaviour. Further information is available on the conference website.
