Open letter to Kennel Club chief executive Rosemary Smart.
I am writing to express the RSPCA’s grave concern about the coverage of Crufts on More 4 during which interviewees and presenters repeatedly gave the message that pedigree dogs, including those shown at Crufts, are happy and healthy.
This is misleading to the public and extremely disappointing as we had hoped the coverage would be open and honest about the serious health and welfare issues that continue to affect many pedigree dogs, without glossing over the issues. After all, this is one of the biggest challenges facing dog welfare in the UK today.
Many pedigree dogs remain vulnerable to unnecessary disease, disability, pain or behavioural problems because they’re bred primarily for how they look rather than with health, welfare or temperament in mind.
Indeed, footage of some of the dogs at Crufts this year demonstrated the exaggerated features that we are so concerned about. As just one example, during the judging of the Working Group the commentators said that a dog was free from exaggerations. The dog in question clearly had extremely folded skin and drooping eyelids, which can lead to suffering.
Three reports on the welfare problems associated with dog breeding have been published in the UK in the last two years, and the conclusions of each are very clear – urgent action is needed to safeguard the welfare of pedigree dogs.
Although some progress has been made by the dog world, it has not been nearly enough and the problems are far from being solved. Both experts and the various reports on this issue recognise that it will take decades before the problems really begin to be resolved – and only then if sufficient effort is made by everyone in the dog world.
It is extremely misleading to suggest not only that the problems have been solved after only two years, but that pedigree dogs are happy and healthy.
Yours sincerely
Mark Watts
Chief Executive
RSPCA
Wilberforce Way
Southwater
Horsham
West Sussex
RH13 9RS
Have asked the KC for a response - will publish when I get it.
[Added 27 March]
The KC response:
'The Kennel Club is extremely disappointed at the stance and tone adopted by the RSPCA before, during and after Crufts show. Had the society actually attended dfs Crufts or consulted the Kennel Club, they might have been more aware of the initiatives and investment being made by breeders and the Kennel Club so as to ensure the future health of dogs. They would also have seen with their own eyes the thousands of healthy dogs enjoying a day out with their owners. It is events such as dfs Crufts that give us all an opportunity to move breeds forward by rewarding healthy dogs in the show ring. It is also a chance to educate people about how to buy a healthy puppy from a responsible breeder. We are heartened by the general positivity surrounding this year's event and the fact that so many charities, veterinary organisations and geneticists were on hand to help the Kennel Club to get their messages across. Of course we are well aware that there are issues which remain to be addressed in the world of pedigree dogs – responsible breeders and the Kennel Club have these well in hand and it is of course accepted that they will take time to be resolved.
Kennel Club Chairman Ronnie Irving said "I have asked for an urgent meeting with the Chairman of the RSPCA to update her and the RSPCA Chief Executive on all of the current KC and breeder initiatives. I wish also to give them the opportunity to offer their suggestions as to what positive moves they think that we and dog breeders should be taking that we are not currently taking. As a breeder of Border Terriers I very much deplore the sweeping nature of the RSPCA's statements over the week of Crufts, and I will look forward to discussing those in detail with the RSPCA Chairman."'
Quite what Ronnie being a breeder of Border Terriers has to do with it, I'm not sure. Most everyone would agree that, Spike's Disease and the odd auto-immune issue aside, the Border Terrier is a characterful, sound, long-lived little dog. I saw lots of happy, healthy-looking ones at Crufts.
I have to say that I'm not sure that the RSPCA got this letter quite right. But the two points they made - that the Crufts commentary very often sounded like KC spin and that it is inappropriate to make exaggerated claims regarding health when some breeds are clearly very far from sound - are valid.
I look forward to hearing the outcome of the meeting between the KC and the RSPCA.
Have asked the KC for a response - will publish when I get it.
[Added 27 March]
The KC response:
'The Kennel Club is extremely disappointed at the stance and tone adopted by the RSPCA before, during and after Crufts show. Had the society actually attended dfs Crufts or consulted the Kennel Club, they might have been more aware of the initiatives and investment being made by breeders and the Kennel Club so as to ensure the future health of dogs. They would also have seen with their own eyes the thousands of healthy dogs enjoying a day out with their owners. It is events such as dfs Crufts that give us all an opportunity to move breeds forward by rewarding healthy dogs in the show ring. It is also a chance to educate people about how to buy a healthy puppy from a responsible breeder. We are heartened by the general positivity surrounding this year's event and the fact that so many charities, veterinary organisations and geneticists were on hand to help the Kennel Club to get their messages across. Of course we are well aware that there are issues which remain to be addressed in the world of pedigree dogs – responsible breeders and the Kennel Club have these well in hand and it is of course accepted that they will take time to be resolved.
Kennel Club Chairman Ronnie Irving said "I have asked for an urgent meeting with the Chairman of the RSPCA to update her and the RSPCA Chief Executive on all of the current KC and breeder initiatives. I wish also to give them the opportunity to offer their suggestions as to what positive moves they think that we and dog breeders should be taking that we are not currently taking. As a breeder of Border Terriers I very much deplore the sweeping nature of the RSPCA's statements over the week of Crufts, and I will look forward to discussing those in detail with the RSPCA Chairman."'
Quite what Ronnie being a breeder of Border Terriers has to do with it, I'm not sure. Most everyone would agree that, Spike's Disease and the odd auto-immune issue aside, the Border Terrier is a characterful, sound, long-lived little dog. I saw lots of happy, healthy-looking ones at Crufts.
I have to say that I'm not sure that the RSPCA got this letter quite right. But the two points they made - that the Crufts commentary very often sounded like KC spin and that it is inappropriate to make exaggerated claims regarding health when some breeds are clearly very far from sound - are valid.
I look forward to hearing the outcome of the meeting between the KC and the RSPCA.