It will end the breeding of popular dogs

Breathing problems, difficulty walking, childbirth, eye disorders, and skin problems. Many of the dogs that are raised today struggle with significant health problems throughout their lives.

Section 25 of the Animal Welfare Act states, among other things, that “breeding shall promote traits that provide robust animals with good functioning and health.” Animals with heritable systems that adversely affect physical or mental functions should not be reared.

However, this has long been a “suspension clause,” according to Dyrebeskyttelsen Norge. So far no one has been convicted of raping him, despite what the organization considers systematic rapes.

This week they are meeting with the Norwegian Kennel Club (NKK), the Norwegian Cavalier Club, the Norwegian Bulldog Club, and various breeders for what they believe is a violation of the section.

– See no other way out

– It is strange that there is no clear agreement that the raising of sick animals is illegal. We have worked with the case for several years without anything happening, so we see no other way than to deal with this in court, so that we can determine how the law should actually be interpreted, says Åshild Roaldset, General Manager of Animal Protection Norway .

It is the English bulldog and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel breeds that stand out in the lawsuit; breeds that the organization believes have a “disease guarantee”. In it, they add that all or almost all dogs have one or more major illnesses or health problems.

Virtually all dogs of a breed have significant health problems, for example a short muzzle; it is very difficult to breed a longer muzzle that provides a significant improvement to dog health, without leafing through other dog breeds. This is because all individuals have basically the same anatomy. Explains the president of the Veterinary Association and lifelong vet, Torill Moseng.

It’s been more than 20 years since the Council on Animal Ethics first voiced criticism about the way dogs are raised, and several experts have called for changes in practice in recent years.

Three years ago, more than 1,500 veterinarians signed the Veterinary Association’s appeal against dysfunctional reproduction. They claimed at the time that the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, which enforces violations of the Animal Welfare Act in Norway, has not prioritized this work, and suggested that some breeders let business interests prevail over ethics.

Roaldset and Dyrebeskyttelsen believe that the Norwegian Food Safety Authority appears to be paralyzed when it comes to monitoring the legislation. And he believes the solution is simple: the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, dog clubs and breeders must use scientific methods and already existing databases for the registration of all diseases, characteristics and relationships.

– I don’t see how the Norwegian Food Safety Authority can carry out effective inspections without using current tools. We cannot trust the experiences of breeders, we need data that maps the full picture of the disease in different breeds, he says.

Roaldset also believes that there is a need for a systematic use of functional tests that ensure the physical and mental function of the dog.

– Completely unacceptable

– We see that there has been more focus and some improvement in the field in recent years, but the work is too late. Veterinarians see animals suffer on a daily basis because humans have bred breeds focused on appearance rather than function. Many are simply born out of suffering. It is a completely unacceptable practice, he says.

According to Moseng, the problem is extensive. Several of the diseased breeds are among the most popular in the country, and many have to undergo surgery to ensure a slightly better oxygen supply, among other things. Some people are so sick that they have to be killed.

– I myself have been involved in this several times. It’s just as heartbreaking every time. I never got used to animals feeling so bad.

Raskas (9) bad life in sex offenders

Complex problem

Torunn Knævelsrud, Head of the Animal Welfare Section at the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, explains that the challenges of dog husbandry come with complex issues, which make it difficult to enforce the relevant section of the law.

– We are fully aware of the problems associated with breeding based on a desired exterior that inflicts poor health and well-being on dogs. But as long as the breeding of specific dog breeds is not prohibited, the breeders cannot be said to break the law on their own. So it is the breeder’s approach that must decide, he says.

Eighty percent of breeders in Norway are so-called amateur breeders, Knævelsrud says, and there is no public record of who they farm. It is also difficult to document the deliberately unfortunate purposes of breeding, as the system and practice are today.

Last summer, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food commissioned the Norwegian Food Safety Authority to prepare a draft regulation for section 25. It should be ready by the end of 2020, but work will not start properly until 2021.

Both Moseng and Roaldset believe that the new regulations are an important step on the road to better animal welfare.

– I believe and hope that this will make clear demands on breeders and NKK, and at the same time be a good tool for the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, says Roaldset.

– If regulations mean, for example, that breeders must have a breeding plan, where it must be documented that dogs with this and that trait can no longer be used in breeding, this is something that the Norwegian Food Safety Authority you can ask to see, and then verify how the plan is being met. says Knævelsrud.

However, this presupposes the introduction of mandatory chip marking of dogs, which the Norwegian Kennel Club has advocated.

Wolves are kept captive – used for breeding with dogs

– It is difficult for the owner to see the symptoms.

Knævelsrud believes that information work with potential dog owners, breeders and judges at dog shows will be crucial to improving the situation. If the demand for sick dog breeds declines, there will no longer be an equally large market for breeders. Work to change international racial standards is also important, believes the section chief.

However, he sees several challenges in banning the breeding of specific breeds, which are already popular in Norway. If some of the breeds had been introduced to Norway today, he thinks it might have been different.

– Then it would probably be easier to say that breeding with such large genetic deviations would be a violation of the law. It is much more difficult to intervene against unsustainable development when it has been going on for many decades. When these breeds are already widely accepted, we don’t get the same general reactions.

Torill Moseng of the Veterinary Association believes that many dog ​​owners do not understand the ailments that their dogs go through.

– Those of us who have knowledge of how animals express pain see it, but it is very difficult for people without that knowledge. If you accidentally step on a dog, say fast and we understand that it hurts. But if it is born into a body with impaired functions, what does it do? So the animals have chronic pain and discomfort. They do not walk screaming, but rather try to relate to the body in a way that causes as little discomfort as possible. And in the event of deterioration, the change in behavior can be so small that it is difficult for the owner to detect it, he says.

– The responsibility should be placed where the responsibility should lie: the breeders. But it is also important to report widely on this. Consumers create the market. I don’t think that a life of pain is something that people want for their animals.

Animal Welfare Norway, on the other hand, does not believe that better knowledge will change people’s choice of dog.

– It is well documented that people who have had one of the exposed dog breeds are happy to choose the same breed again. They are often lovable dogs with pleasant personalities, and illness often brings the dog and owner closer together. And then there are a lot of cute images on social media that contribute to this, says Roaldset.

Dagbladet has attempted to contact the Norwegian Kennel Club, the Norwegian Bulldog Club and the Norwegian Cavalier Club for comment on the lawsuit. The latter does not wish to comment on the lawsuit.

The Norwegian Kennel Club and the Norwegian Bulldog Club write the following in their respective emails to Dagbladet:

– We are aware that Dyrebeskyttelsen Norge will file a lawsuit against NKK / Norsk Bulldog Klubb and we do not believe that it is natural to comment in the media on a case that has been notified and will be prosecuted in court.