An international group of veterinary surgeons are calling for a worldwide end to using dogs with extreme body shapes inappropriately in advertising. The vets say there is evidence the industry is fuelling demand for these dogs, who suffer serious health problems as a result of their conformation.
Over the past decade, more and more owners are choosing breeds with extreme conformation problems, such as excessive skin folds, short tails, short legs and flat faces, say the vets.
Research from the Royal Veterinary College has estimated that in 2023 there were more than half a million French Bulldogs and a quarter of a million Miniature Dachshunds owned in the UK, along with more than 180,000 Pugs and 130,000 English Bulldogs.
Much of the increase in public demand for these breeds is believed to result from the use of images of dogs with extreme conformations as promotional aids in advertising and social media, which has normalised these harmful body shapes in the public’s perception.
What is extreme conformation?
The International Collaborative on Extreme Conformations in Dogs (ICECDogs) defines extreme conformation "as a physical appearance that has been so significantly altered through selection by humankind that affected dogs commonly suffer from poor health and welfare, with negative impacts on their quality of life.
"Examples of common dog breeds that are often affected by health issues linked to extreme conformation include the French Bulldog, Pug, English Bulldog and Dachshund."
New guidance issued by ICECDogs calls on all advertisers and users of social media worldwide to immediately stop using images of these dogs unless they are aimed at protecting canine health and wellbeing. Instead, ICECDogs recommends that advertisers focus on using images that promote physically healthy conformations in dogs.
Common examples of health and welfare issues linked to extreme conformation include chronic pain (e.g., eye ulcers because of protruding eyes) or physical incapacity (e.g. unable to sleep or exercise fully due to breathing difficulties from being flat-faced).
Dr Dan O’Neill from ICECDogs said: “Millions of dogs continue to suffer worldwide every year from extreme and unnecessary body shapes. This new ICECDogs message calls on advertisers to play their part in ending the normalisation of suffering from extreme body shapes and will hopefully contribute to the ongoing worldwide movement to instead celebrate healthy body shapes in dogs.”
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