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The Issues: linebreeding/inbreeding
At one point the
programme makers compared the Kennel Club with
Hitler and his eugenics programme. Of course
eugenics is not an acceptable practice where humans
are concerned, but animals have long been
selectively bred by man for a multitude of purposes,
many of them practical. Many, perhaps most,
people feel this is ethically acceptable.
Deliberate selective breeding of animals is not
restricted to dogs but is a widespread practice
throughout all of our domestic breeds from humble
farm animals to million dollar racehorses.
What eugenics in animals does, is to provide us with
'predictability'. We know what kind of sheep
we are going to get and how good its wool will be if
we can predict with certainty, who its parents were.
The same applies to the appearance and performance
and temperaments of our dogs.
How closely related an
animal's parents can 'safely' be is not a matter on
which scientists or breeders all agree.
Line breeding (mating closely related animals) is a
recognised way of 'fixing' some desirable
characteristics and is not confined to show breeders
as the programme implied. Line breeding has
long been used by many animal breeders including
some working gundog breeders, to fix temperament and
ability in healthy animals. If the
paired animals are too closely related,
or there is too much line breeding then
health problems can arise. How much is too much, is
a matter on which even experts are divided.
Many dog breeders would agree that father to
daughter is too close, some would consider
grandfather to grand-daughter acceptable in certain
cases. Genetic diversity in any breed of dog is very
important and is always a balance between
maintaining this diversity and maintaining or
'fixing' the characteristics we seek in our
dogs.
The programme did not
really provide a balanced view of the pro's and cons
of line breeding, but rather sought to generally
discredit the practice, and ignored the many breeds
of dog that remain in excellent shape despite this
practice, including most of our gundog breeds in the
UK. If line-breeding is harmful, or the
cause of problems in some breeds, then why has
it worked so well for other breeds? This is question
that needs more thought than was given in the
programme.
The Issues: breeding
deformed and disabled dogs
The deliberate breeding
of deformed and disabled dogs by a
minority of breeders within the show dog fraternity
has been going on for a long time. Many of
those viewing will already have been aware of some
of these practices, and this programme will
hopefully have pricked all our consciences.
Much more now needs to be done to put an end to the
totally avoidable and deliberate creation of sick
and unhealthy puppies, destined for lives as sick
and unhealthy dogs. Where we have a breed like the
Cavalier King Charles spaniel that is beset with
health problems, there is surely a case for stopping
all further breeding, or at least for the KC
to allow outcrossing with another similar but more
healthy breed for a limited period of time.
Most of us would surely wholeheartedly support the
end of the practice of breeding dogs such as
Pekinese or Pugs, whose deformities are incompatible
with a healthy life This programme highlighted
the plight of these dogs dramatically and
effectively.
Hopefully the Kennel
Club will respond to public opinion generated by the
programme and begin talks with breed societies on
re-writing breed standards to meet stringent new
criteria for the welfare of all KC registered
puppies. This is a great opportunity for all
those involved to make a fresh start.
The general public can do much to contribute by
refusing to purchase any dog from a breed whose
'breed standard deformities' are incompatible with a
normal healthy life.
Perhaps the KC will now
also ensure that dogs whose breed standard
deformities have caused them such suffering that
they have needed major surgery, will never again be
able to win at Crufts, as the little Pekinese
featured in the programme had done.
The Issues: health
testing
It seemed unfair that
whilst rightly criticising the KC on some counts,
the programme failed completely to recognise the
Kennel Club's contribution to our current raft of
health testing schemes. The programme
also did dogs a disservice by failing to inform
their now very anxious viewers, of the need to check
up on the many available health tests when
purchasing a puppy - This was an
unacceptable loss of opportunity to benefit dogs and
their owners.
There is undoubtedly an
argument that the KC has not gone far enough with
their health testing schemes, some of which have
been around for some time now. There is still
an issue of identification - it is
still possible for unscrupulous breeders to
substitute one dog for another with some health
tests. This loophole needs closing.
Surely the current health testing schemes would have
a more far reaching effect and a dramatically
improved boost if the KC were to refuse to register
puppies from parents which failed certain basic
checks. This move would be widely supported by
the dog owning public
The argument that this
kind of ruling would drive breeders away is not born
out by evidence, comparable schemes exist in
other countries and work well. Breeders that
failed to conform, and those buying puppies
from them, would not be able to register their
puppies and therefore unable to compete or show them
as the KC have control over most of the
nations showing and competitive dog events. Breeders
would have to conform, or lose their right to
participate, the vast majority would therefore
do so. |
