Pedigree dogs are suffering from genetic diseases following years of inbreeding, an investigation has found. A BBC documentary says they are suffering acute problems because looks are emphasized over health when breeding dogs for shows. The programme shows spaniels with brains too big for their skulls and boxers suffering from epilepsy. The Kennel Club says it works tirelessly to improve the health of pedigree dogs.
Pedigree animals make up 75% of the seven million dogs in the UK and cost their owners over £10m in vets’ fees each week. The programme, Pedigree Dogs Exposed, says dogs suffering from genetic illness are not prevented from competing in dog shows and have gone on to win “best in breed”, despite their poor health. It says physical traits required by the Kennel Club’s breed standards, such as short faces, wrinkling, screw-tails and dwarfism, have inherent health problems.
Other problems occur because of exaggerations bred into dogs by breeders trying to win rosettes, it adds. The programme shows a prize-winning cavalier King Charles spaniel suffering from syringomyelia, a condition which occurs when a dog’s skull is too small for its brain. It also features boxers suffering from epilepsy, pugs with breathing problems and bulldogs who are unable to mate or give birth unassisted.
It says deliberate mating of dogs which are close relatives is common practice and the Kennel Club registers dogs bred from mother-to-son and brother-to-sister matings. Scientists at Imperial College, London, recently found that pugs in the UK are so inbred that although there are 10,000 of them, it is the equivalent of just 50 distinct individuals. Steve Jones, professor of genetics at University College London, said: “People are carrying out breeding which would be first of all entirely illegal in humans and secondly is absolutely insane from the point of view of the health of the animals. “In some breeds they are paying a terrible price in genetic disease.”
Transcript of the Video;
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ok this film reveals for the very first time
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text into health and welfare problems in pedigree dogs
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ok that the docs a falling apart and
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that the numbers genetic problems are increasing
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frightening pace quick ok
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the RSPCA he’s extremely concerned about the very high levels a
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disability deformity and disease in pedigree dogs
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you people love these animals you know it’s like seeing
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a close relative falling apart many ways I think that’s just criminal
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to allow that to happen a tree
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is a
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come through in the dark as the Gardena pedigree dogs
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is a great British institution the vast majority
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dog breeds all a doctor in the country to healthy
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who knows but we’ve spent two years exploring pedigree dogs
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digging deeper than ever before
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week how what we’ve uncovered
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is the greatest animal welfare scandal a part-time
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we are in fact to breeding them to death
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ok
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when Helen Bates decided to get a dock for her family she chose the Cavalier
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King Charles Spaniel
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a little talk with a sweet loving temperament
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wonderful with children
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first angel something soupy
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what everything the family hoped for all those so he was a little aloof
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I would sometimes shrink back if you try to touch her head or neck
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on 92 anyone these were the first signs of a devastating neurological condition
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but today has reduced to be 2/5
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both
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who’ll
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its cool serene to my ear and its cost because the Cavaliers skull
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is not too small for its brain the brain
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is like a a science ten-foot that’s been shoved into
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a size 6 you it doesn’t fit on the net result
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is near a logical damage this question still teach
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18 fifth yes we talking about scandia
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you would never heard of it before no one knows exactly how many companies
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have certain to my India
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but that mean urologist glamorous bridge police up to one-third
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or more the breed could be affected single miami is a major welfare problem
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for this
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3 there are thousands cavalli is in pain across the world even if a conservative
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estimate
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it’s described in humans is one of the most painful conditions that you can
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have
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I’m burning pain his stint I
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headache abnormal sensations even light
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touch even items have closing a college for example
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coming to use discomfort for these animals
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some dog show only mild
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even no symptoms but at its worst
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the toxic clearly in acronym the stock
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was in so much pain that he was put to sleep the and
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for seriously affected dogs the only other option
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is risky brain surgery well
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the back at the skull is removed to make more room for the dog’s brain
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once released the brain cam for the very first time
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expand and contract with every heartbeat as it was designed to do
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but the surgery is not always successful
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the stock died scene of tourists
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as if that wasn’t enough
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Cavalia suffer from heart disease to by the time this
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5 about her for all companies will have a murmur
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and that frequency will rise as they get older superbly by the time they’re about
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ten or eleven
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almost will cover is a good heart murmur some description it can go for
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hours and not move he said people how long do it lol
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on that island across the room and it’s not the cameras hope
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sure stern its hold mind
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you know them he
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no just it’s more common in countries than in any other breed
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and distribute went five times more likely to occur in a cavalier
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and across print Wilson no that the disease
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because earlier in topless and in other breeds and
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then progresses to cool since died prematurely how much
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your company’s health problems cost you if the if probably
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40,000 I know that sounds
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cusp of and no it’s probable that there was some
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docs affected with citizens and maybe nineteen fifties nineteen sixties
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and they were used extensively a stud I’m
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and some populace to Dokes silos have puppies and so
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that way that since can spread very rapidly these sweet
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long-suffering little dogs up the sixth most popular breed in the UK
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and probably the sickest
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but they’re not alone
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three quarters at the seven million docks in the UK of pedigree docs
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and there around 200 different breeds that vertel’s
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hoops Terriers donations and so on them we can exclusively reveal
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that they cost that owners a whopping 10 million pounds and that fees
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every week the first major causes the problems
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says leading geneticists Steve Jones is the third degree dogs up dangerously
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inbred
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in dogs things have gone completely
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out a lot shipman people are carrying out breeding
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which would be for Sony course in town illegal humans
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and secondly a has absolutely insane from the pontiff you
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the hell for the animals the RSPCA’s chief at
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meanwhile highlights the second major recent docs are in trouble
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because it’s very simple ET’s
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competitive doc showing that is what schools
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the problem and just look at what one hundred years at the show during his
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time to the
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dachshund today’s dogs have much shorter legs
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the original bull terrier on the left
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had a normal shaped head markedly different from today’s top on the right
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this is how the change looks from the insight
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and then the German Shepherd
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subject to fierce debate
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and that’s because used to look like its
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in fact working German Shepherds used by many peace forces
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do still looks very like the original docs but should also become more
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a more extreme and has had a major impact on the way they move
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we of two top orthopedic that to look at the footy two German Shepherds we
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recorded 22
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top Championship Show his goal we call a taxi
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gave it doesn’t of folk or national control
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his hope so wobbling from side to side and if you hunt
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strengthen coordination is huntington’s they would be much more solid than
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of those dogs overall it’s a majority from adult
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not normal we see much the same
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crops two months later critics now refer to the show German Shepherd
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as hot dog Hopcroft even the famous German dog that wins best to breed
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seems to Sac on his back and across Judge Terry hanan
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insist that it is the show dog not working doc
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that is the correct version of the breed the old-fashioned you okay it up if dole
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all the work and I’ll you would never see them and assured him because
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anatomically the No cadets because you believe that shape game
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sharing is the dog better structured to do the job it was great to do
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and yet he’s a small which mall to the brakes done
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and that’s the whole point to showing
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to produce a dog that most closely resembles the blueprint laid down in the
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dog breeders Bible
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the kennel come breed standard the breed standards are set to rules that lay down
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what a pedigree dog should look like
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the size shape in color up every recognized breed
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the predictability
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this is what makes them attractive you can guarantee
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the height approximately the temperament and lots of other things unfortunately
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not a guarantee will my Corolla with them
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every single breed has its own health problems
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some minor some not Labradors applied to a joint
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I problems Springer Spaniels are affected by an
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enzyme deficiency found only in Springer Spaniels golden retriever suffer a high
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incidence of cancer
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and the west highland white terrier the Westie
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is beset by allergies that the docs a falling apart
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and that the number of genetic problems
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are increasing at a frightening pace there were 500 known genetic diseases in
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dogs
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that’s fewer than a man but the rate at which docs are affected is much higher
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boxes suffer from several life-threatening health issues including
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heart disease
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and a very high incidence of cancer especially brain tumors
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in common with many other breeds they can also suffer from Pepsi
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and behind closed doors 100 civilians
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a struggling to cope with this most distressing conditions
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answer Sakhir is just two years old
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say Gopal oh you sweetie
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same basis
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sucks medication his same amount in the movement a
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same around Sydney was that
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Fred is that you know for from
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from I’m
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heey Sevier itself so poised for a minute
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all Boyd is it good for life
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of I year ago
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world the who
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1
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you you know nobody bought into that idea when they took that puppy home
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and it can be devastating really testing because people
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love these animals you know it’s like seeing
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a close relative falling apart of
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there are no official figures to say how many boxes suffer from epilepsy
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but in some breeds it is 20 times the rate
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found in humans up
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today stocks have been molded by man
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into almost every possible shape and size from docs a small as kittens
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to China Great Danes but talks originally looked like
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this the ancestor the wolf
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the talks were not always such victims a fashion
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early dog breeding mimics the natural selection
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that makes the will so exquisitely home to its environment
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talks were essentially bread for function so they served
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practical functions be it hunting mall
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godding whatever it was and those dogs that did the job well with and bread two
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other dogs that did the job well
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and through that process you got the evolution of modern breed
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but come the middle of the 19th century all that changed the new Victoria
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middle-class
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time a money on their hands docs became a status symbol
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interpreting sport
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they got the idea that they could produce perfect specimens
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over these different dog breeds that were around at that time
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they also got into creating new dog breeds and and perfecting them
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and the whole a focus changed from being
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concerned with the function at the Greeley you should what it what what was
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traditionally used for
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to some its appearance its physical appearance
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somewhere better to show off your skill at playing got with dogs
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the seduction the first one was held in the eighteen fifties
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and they quickly became wildly popular so popular
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but they soon need is an organization to Roman enter
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in 1873 the Kennel Club 135 years later
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the Kennel Club is widely accepted as the guardian a pedigree dogs
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and house impeccable establishment credentials
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the candle cups patron so much to the Queen the sulfur breed a pedigree talks
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the stock has a remarkable record
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the fastest today’s Kennel Club is involved in all kinds of canine
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activities
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from agility competitions to feed in straining to funding scientific research
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into docs Pirates charitable trust
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but at its heart
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the cable companies two main roles first it is a registry which records lineage a
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purebred docs
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when you buy it cannot abridge the puppy
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it will come with a pedigree certificate like this one showing the pups parents
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grandparents great-grandparents and so on welcome to the high lies have
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my year every year idiots
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Best in Show and it regulates most talk shows in the UK
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the world is watching as the kennel club prepares to choose this year’s champ
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including
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most famously crime stats land is under
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have a welcome to cross first
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showed 2008
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millions watch crops on the BBC every year
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but not everyone sees it as a celebration when I watch straps what I
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see in front me
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is a paraded mutants it’s some freakish
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Gary ish beauty pageant to the house not nothing frankly to do with
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health and welfare the show world is about an obsession
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about beauty and there is rediculous concept that that is how we should judge
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dogs out the best in breed
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means you happen to be places to this thing that’s been written on a piece of
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paper is what you should look like takes no account
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have your temperament your fitness for purpose is a potentially as a pet animal
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and that to me just make absolutely no sense at all
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suggested say France 2012
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from behind the glitz and glamour
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crafts behind the doors the kennel clubs $20 million pound HQ in London’s posh
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Mayfair
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liza dark and dirty secret ok
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the Kennel Club was born Abt eugenics movement the idea that we could improve
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the human race
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by controlling who bragged to him I’ll
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it sounds incredible now but eugenics movement was hugely popular
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ok
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he Genesis doctrine taught that the genetic improvement man
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lame breeding any best to bask
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impure find the human race’s undesirable traits ok
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never allowing any mixing between races always the problem
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was that what was considered best was often decided solely on what you look
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like
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very often on what race you well
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and then in the nineteen thirties
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he checks made it found its ultimate champion work
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out of Hitler was a very keen geneticist and he really what’s
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he believed there was a pure race the area’s which would different from every
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other race and you should breed from that race I’m
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came awfully risk the Holocaust exposed eugenics
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as morally flawed its ideas about purity make no scientific sense I like
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yet one organization almost unnoticed
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has continued to embrace each insist principles that view is very much still
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propagated by
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countertops today it’s all about maintaining these lines
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love very pure very on solid aris to crash it breeds
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it’s not just that they don’t allow any mixing
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22 the Kennel Club Z Genesis principles breeders sometimes discard dogs balm
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deviate from the breed standard the rich owner addition Ridgeback serves no
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useful purpose
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in fact it’s been known for decades that the rich is a mild form spina bifida
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the cool serious health problems but the rich is enshrined in the kennel clubs
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breed standard
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the defining feature the breed so every Ridgeback
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must have one the problem is
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that one in twenty radiation Ridgebacks is born without to reach
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and we do have trouble nowadays with
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the young backs to attend see everything in black and whites
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and won’t put them down it’s a healthy beautiful property there’s nothing wrong
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with it except
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house interests and you say well actually I meant
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averages it’s not easy
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to you see we end up having to go to a known fact that we’ve known for yes
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to just bought equipment to say I’m I would rather they will put down on the
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mic at
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when they landed in the hands of the fighting people which is appalling
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neutering them instead is also permitted
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but it’s still in shined in the Rhodesian Ridgeback Cubs code of ethics
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richness puppies shall be culled it’s morally and ethically
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absolutely wrong to cull
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perfectly healthy Connell simply because the way they look
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the concept for instance in radiation Ridgebacks have actually saying
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we gonna deliberately braid them and only
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harvest the ones that have the ridge
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which is a deformity anyway and the ones the healthy ones %uh the ones we kill
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is disgraceful should
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healthy puppets the cult on purely cosmetic
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no good should healthy puppies become not but
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absolutely no there is no reason I’m my view
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to cull poppies and cosmetic lines absurd
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and I wouldn’t want i wouldn’t want to kill to be associated with such an idea
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that which backs and not an isolated example
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McKenna Cup knows this coming pop is because they don’t meet the Kennel Club
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breed standard
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is not perhaps as common as it used to be but it still happens
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victims include Great Danes boom with the wrong markings
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white German shepherds
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and white boxes such practice happens
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all the time well I I wasn’t
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awaited until you told me that this morning but I’m
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appalled by not and I would damn I will do what I can to prevent it but I’m not
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sure what I can do to prevent it
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when you could change the breed standard
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and there’s a good reason to do this new addition Ridgebacks
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about 10 percent tradition-rich back suffer from another city condition
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called done with finals
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it looks innocent enough just a pinprick size hole on the surface of the dark
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skinned
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but these holes of rum bar right into the dock spinal cord or brain
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an open channel through which lethal infection control them
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talks born without a rich don’t suffer from Des Moines sinus
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so it would make perfect sense to change the breed standard
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perfect sense that is to anyone other than average back breeder
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you do not believe not its
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back I think it’s rubbish
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well with without the great staffed topic
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it doesn’t matter if may have the gift type
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without rate to fix pack when they found the people it makes packs
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we’re using them genuine in Africa for hunting
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they found that the best hunting dogs were the ones with the ridges
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come into the pits to happen high with not too many
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I wish there were a few more get better than one tech city my raises
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soon after we raised the issue with the Kennel Club
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we discover that the Kennel Club has written to the Rhodesian Ridgeback Club
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which then removes its code of ethics from its website
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we have several concerns about the inclusion of the phrase
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reach this puppy should be culled birth in the code of ethics
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wanna buy registered societies we would therefore request that this is removed
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at the earliest possible opportunity from the collapse could
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as a kennel club cannot condone and euthanizing health pick up pace
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for a free to point and we must if necessary publicly disassociate
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ourselves from this practice
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jewish well we were stunned it’s because
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every breed clubs code of ethics has to be ratified
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by the Kennel Club and in fact is ratified every year
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thus far as we were concerned was ratified up until the day before that
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date of this letter
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so using Cup knew full well that senior I’m saying it was in the kennel clubs
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from courts
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kirstein Maitland says the pre club is disappointed by the kennel clubs
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handling of the issue
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a mother club supports those who prefer to new to the average list stocks rather
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than destroy them
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they believe Ridgeback breeders should retain the right to put which has
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puppies to sleep
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I think in the breeds we
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feel that although the puppy looks perfectly healthy
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it is carrying and a genetic fault
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so you see richness past 30
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full yes one of the great
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ironies pedigree dog breeding is that for all the talk of improvement
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after all those years a selective breeding it turns out that on average
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the common much he often scorned mongrel is healthier
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and they live a little longer to the pet insurance industry
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is well aware this the custom insuring across street through the kennel clubs
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own health care scheme is less than half what it charges for ball dark
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the problem is that many priests to send from just a handful have dogs
24:37
and on the kennel club rules that only allowed to mate with another doc the
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same breed
24:42
for today’s talks a very broad at least 10 times malls in your eye
24:47
and in some cases 100 times more and some breeds they’re paying
24:52
terrible terrible price genetic disease ok
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making matters worse is the deliberate mating very close relatives
25:00
to fix certain desirable traits ok
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even today the Kennel Club is happy to register mother to son
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and proper to system 18th I think it’s
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not a coincidence but all over the world that’s looked at
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with devotion human societies um
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and I defy anybody saying that they would approve for the systematic
25:21
father-daughter biting it simply we see that it’s wrong
25:25
and yet his big dog breeders father-daughter beating in particular
25:29
father granddaughter be bringing even is common
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they must know to this could cause problems
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apparently not as we discovered is a fun dog show in London vamos a parliament
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when we caught up with chairman Ronnie having and the kennel clubs health &
25:46
Information Manager
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bill Lambert you could say we will no longer register mother some meetings
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because it’s 11 inbreeding
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it’s unacceptable
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yes we could I mean I and and if that is the right thing to do well we ought to
26:01
do it
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but is this a I mean it was a scientific basis that that says that’s going to
26:05
produce
26:06
better more healthy long-lived animals that make good pets
26:10
then of course would go along with it but that you putting
26:13
houses the basic principles about this it depends on them for it depends on the
26:17
mother-son
26:18
the you know if they have the if they’re the last two my people children
26:21
at school to yes we do have a baby with me of course
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but that’s nonsense an entirely different issue this the tile a
26:29
different issue
26:29
money having is himself a judge
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and breeder a border Terriers if you yourself Prince
26:39
mother to some no brother sister no
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grandfathered grant yes
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like many in the dock wild
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money serving believes he can use inbreeding to weed out weaknesses
26:55
and reinforce good traits but he’s heading for trouble
27:00
for being very in bread simply in itself house
27:03
catastrophic impact on the immune system making dogs
27:07
very vulnerable to life-threatening infection and ultimately
27:11
they become infertile if they don’t be this
27:15
insist on going further down that road I can say with
27:19
confidence really that there is a universal suffering
27:22
waiting for many of these breeds and many if not most to the zombies will not
27:27
survive
27:28
people get so in britain that they will be unable to reproduce
27:31
and their genes will come to a dead end Imperial College London
27:35
recently look to ten different dog breeds they found that only ten percent
27:39
to the genes they had forty years ago
27:42
have made it into today’s generation dogs ninety percent
27:46
have been lost in some countries animals this genetically impoverished
27:50
would have a conservation order slapped on them
27:53
in 2006
27:57
a damning report from one of the UK’s most respected animal welfare bodies
28:01
landed with a thud on the tests at the kennel club
28:04
the cork report highlighted serious concerns about the way pedigree dogs are
28:10
bred
28:11
and call for wholesale change this is a big problem compared with many other
28:17
I’m animal welfare issues because in im
28:20
involves a lot about animals for large parts their lives
28:23
the generation of a generation after generation James Kirkwood and his team
28:28
have impeccable professional and scientific credentials
28:31
so the candle cups response was surprising
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I read the report at the time and I think that there were a lot of emotional
28:38
aspects in that and not a lot of Science in if i might say so
28:42
but that was not a lot of signs that it may have been pretty you
28:45
I don’t know who produced by okay coming out well that certainly wasn’t a lot of
28:50
Science in it the Kennel Club officially right of the cork report
28:54
a simplistic and unscientific stick
29:00
scientific and not and course claims what echoed in a 2004 paper
29:09
on a well-known genetics expert unfortunately the restrictive breeding
29:15
patterns does have developed as part and parcel of the purebred dog seen
29:19
have not been without collateral damage to all breeds
29:23
increasingly
29:26
inherited diseases are imposing a serious disease burden
29:30
on many if not all breeds of dog you’ll have this paper
29:35
can come Starion genetics adviser
29:38
just some stuff miraculously
29:41
the problems appear to have been resolved since then
29:45
the vast majority dogs that we registered weaver’s 250,000 Algeria
29:49
the vast majority those talks will live long happy healthy lives
29:52
group
29:56
meet george the park
29:59
some other crops champion I’m love dearly by his owners Joe and Graham
30:05
scientists at Imperial College London recently found the
30:09
hugs in the UK so inbred so related
30:13
although there are 10,000 of them it’s the equivalent to the only 50
30:18
distinct individuals that make sparks more genetically compromised
30:23
the time pounder and it almost guarantees
30:27
docs like George a suspect explains back here we go
30:31
put them on both flights with a city cop sitting at a joint on
30:34
on both sides his kneecaps enjoying that now
30:37
Whitney when he’s spend about that kneecap two states have joined to the
30:42
inside to the lake is still work is is going forward
30:46
I’m so anyways stoic with is retreating to his chest cavity
30:50
you can’t restore which we’ve got a partial collapse the lungs
30:54
and elongates of politics and also is no Cisco stuff he’s got now and the nasal
30:59
cavities which is causing problems breathing that
31:02
and then is always gotta in rolling the law right it’s
31:05
shipping on the ice and then
31:09
fine he’s got a curvature of the spine
31:13
since points is that appear spawning comes down here
31:17
shop and then in the shop and that
31:22
but the big revelation about George is not that he suffers from so many
31:26
life-threatening inherited disorders
31:29
it’s not even that is dat is across champion
31:32
well that when Joanne in Graham bought George from his mom’s breeder
31:35
they paid 800 pounds for what is now one of the sickest bugs in Britain
31:40
the real scandal is that george himself qualified for Crufts
31:45
we’re always told to very thick cock in a stall
31:49
my lines never even responded was to look at him as a show
31:53
ok he’s peaceful talking it’s very much like his father
31:58
who was bred and is owned by Amanda and its the defense the fact the pucks used
32:03
to look like
32:03
this but now look like
32:07
that’s of
32:11
the pacs faces now so flat the breathing problems a commonplace
32:16
of with nose been so short
32:19
you are actually push in the skin back into the thrid
32:23
text if they get excited the soft palate
32:27
country of the airways but the doc will just
32:30
you know sort of like pop pop sound then it would just come
32:33
come through okay it may look at such a rate it
32:36
but really the put possible but many problems with bridge toll
32:42
but the puck face is so flat that they damage that eyes when they bump into
32:46
things
32:47
and breeding for the screw tale but the puck breed standard insists on
32:51
is the reason why Georgia spiny say deformed
32:57
to get it twisted tale you need to have first previous her
33:00
unusual shapes and not break shape that a triangular shape so that when they fit
33:04
together
33:05
taken for course clay
33:08
it may look very it’s a horrible but you’re likely to have an increased
33:12
instance
33:13
have abnormalities elsewhere in spine all
33:17
and astonishingly there’s nothing to stop Joanne breeding from George
33:20
all the kennel coupled happily register george’s puppies
33:25
because no Park has to pass any health test before it can be bred from
33:31
but what about other breeds how many health tests did they have to pass
33:34
before they could be bred
33:37
at the moment they’re out there on there aren’t many
33:40
how many the will be a not well but is currently
33:44
moderates oh then just what then
33:47
then in two years time to be three this
33:51
these three tests only relate to the Irish and Irish Red and White setter
33:56
in the other 207 breeds recognized by the Kennel Club
33:59
there isn’t a single health test that any dog
34:02
have to pass before it can be bred from we have this feeling the you kids who
34:07
try to do that would actually dry breeds away
34:09
and I’m and that was lost contact with them
34:13
so and thats I think that’s part of the British Cycling you could tell me what
34:16
to do with my life
34:18
interesting and challenging topics I think we have
34:21
and their support for the Kennel Club from the president at the British
34:24
Veterinary Association
34:25
we must cherish the Kennel Club it’s the only thing we’ve got
34:29
and therefore if it becomes too reactionary
34:34
and loses the support of the majority it will cease to have any influence
34:40
and I know there are plenty of people in the kennel club who would like to
34:42
improved operating considerably
34:44
if they were if they have the support and the
34:48
agreement their membership they’re doing the best they can
34:52
in a very difficult situation but they’re not doing anything like enough
34:57
for Carol Fowler
34:58
a pet owner from Gloucestershire whose absolutely incensed
35:01
by the mess pedigree docs in Carroll’s first Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
35:07
Bonnie was severely affected with the horrible bring conditions during to my
35:12
Ilya
35:12
I was put to sleep when she was just 5 years old a year later
35:17
Cal second Cavalier rosy was also found to be affected
35:21
I expected all action the fall into place that there will be some
35:25
record-keeping some channel of communication with the Kennel Club
35:30
and thats something would be done to two stops
35:33
something like this spreading look into how whites but it was
35:36
on and of course I was not knife and tool
35:41
carol was shocked to discover that there is no official reporting system for
35:46
hereditary disease and docs
35:47
and health screening programs are often inadequate
35:50
or ineffective Cavaliers
35:55
a hot screening program has been up and running since 1995
35:59
and dedicated readers do now test at docs but they routinely
36:04
nor device from that’s too only breed from dogs ever certain
36:08
H and the result is the heart disease in the Cavalier
36:11
is as bad as ever walls psychologist it is very frustrated see such a slow
36:16
progress
36:17
and at there’s no progress and
36:21
for I’m alright yes yes fair enough
36:25
and it is frustrating see such a lack of progress
36:29
for stop wishing Lee become a cop tries to spin this failure
36:33
some kind of success there’s a lot of work went on in the early days between
36:38
the Kennel Club the Cavalier clubs
36:40
to establish the the wherewithal for their house cleaning program but it’s
36:44
not worked
36:45
well this is a rather what might have happened if the to nothing
36:50
now you answer that if it didn’t
36:55
absolutely nothing way with the freebie today do you think sale saying it could
37:00
be worse
37:01
Facebook of its not good what you teach me
37:04
its progress though and YouTube I’m putting up with potential posted spin on
37:09
your negative space
37:10
yes new keep nobody will argue but the
37:13
the level love mitral valve disease in the company agreed is too high
37:16
but what shocked carol found a most was the widespread two mile from
37:22
top Cavalia breeders that the brain condition that it killed her first
37:26
Cavalia Bonnie
37:27
it’s a problem in the breed this despite
37:31
eminent that’s trying to raise the alarm and Internet this
37:34
food have destroyed pattern is desperate for help with Doc seriously effected
37:39
pursuant to my he hid
37:42
I just thought have to do something about this you know some such a big
37:45
scale
37:46
if I told you I was unlucky with my to docs
37:49
that would have been different but there was so many people
37:53
going to be the same things so many dogs and
37:57
just maybe determined to do something
38:00
wanted Carol contacted her MP
38:03
who took up her cause and in 2006
38:07
they met with the Kennel Club they disputed
38:10
that single-minded was a widespread problem
38:13
in the company agreed I hadn’t suggested
38:17
thats it was a case of pattern overreaction
38:21
I’m not sure if it’s put callous house whether it’s Sam
38:25
the House of Commons itself but if the Kennel Club full ticket for both Carol
38:30
Fowler
38:30
it was wrong
38:34
Carol red every research paper she could lay a hands-on
38:37
she told herself genetics and talked
38:40
every expert in the field the number and identity in the team’s
38:44
is unknown we don’t know if it’s one team twenty teams
38:47
for me
38:50
i’m for the past three years carol has lobbied
38:52
breeders the Kennel Club welfare groups even the government
38:57
calling for change
39:02
the Kennel Club has taken some action to tackle problems
39:05
in 2003 they launched their credit to breed a scheme
39:09
which sets occurred to conduct for breeders a mosque that they make use
39:13
health screening schemes the KC is also funding the development to DNA tests
39:19
which will allow breeders to check if the docs carrying certain hidden
39:22
conditions
39:23
but my the scheme tackles the key problem with inbreeding
39:28
and the Kennel Club refuses to follow the lead to the Swedish Kennel Club
39:31
which on scientific advice has banned mother son and proper system eighteens
39:36
in border Terriers I knew
39:40
almost all the dogs are behind these dogs we’re bringing from I’m
39:44
that skill is something I’m very proud of I don’t want a bunch of scientists
39:48
telling me that they know more about it than all those dogs I’ve known
39:51
for the last forty years I know all the dogs in those penny be
39:55
and I know the weaknesses and I’m trying to breed away from those with
39:58
that’s what dog readings about recently
40:01
money having has also spoken out about exaggerations
40:05
and some breed standards have been changed
40:08
bulldogs for instance was no longer have a massive head
40:12
just a large one
40:17
you become couples also stepped up training for its judges
40:20
years
40:23
Christopher make not just anatomy
40:25
but health and welfare is now part of the judges curriculum
40:29
but it won’t make
40:32
any difference if the Breeders Cup be convinced the need for change
40:36
while they continue to interpret standards
40:39
in anyway they see fit the
40:43
is on today’s basset hound have got much longer
40:50
its belly tracks along the ground
40:52
and it is pronounced skin folds on his legs
40:57
it’s all a far cry from the Basset Hound vs TN
41:02
home like the dachshund the Basset Hound is a dwarf breed
41:06
and it comes at a price as the age assets commonly suffer from
41:11
crippling arthritis my feeling is that people are simply not aware
41:17
all how much suffering is involved I think dogs actually a
41:21
other own worst enemy in this regard because many dogs very stoical
41:25
you know they don’t they don’t complain they just carry on
41:29
despite the fact that they’re carrying all these on comfortable handicaps
41:33
top
41:37
first prize goes to breed and Nigel not small ball.
41:40
was one of the breeds top judges had sunk he’s got plenty o
41:46
furnishing without being overdone what you mean by furnishing
41:50
this game what what’s the purpose of the new skin
41:55
just way the gray days but not
41:59
how it used to be history and is very shapely
42:03
in today with the furnishing I’m
42:07
has stood
42:10
St Quincy and
42:13
a non-local top nine and overall
42:16
Sperry sound and balance loose very well
42:20
a lot of people would think perhaps a bit exaggerated
42:23
booked I’m glad I found someone who appreciates that and I think that I mean
42:27
he’s got whose is pretty tight to me
42:29
and the I gave is for the best but across this year
42:35
it’s at craps that we catch up with the chairman of the Basset Hound copper
42:38
Great Britain
42:40
surely will breed are twofold congenital towards
42:44
well personally I think that is an absolute bad rap
42:50
I mean these hands tiny mean to this country
42:54
in the mate I teen had grades and
42:58
they look very much like right good guy
43:01
in fact I think we have imprints andy is not at all impressed with the taller
43:09
misprint E pass it to sixty years ago got great to have that look like that
43:14
I would like and shore the I didn’t
43:17
great another one well
43:20
and there’s the rub the problems have dogs like this champion Neapolitan
43:24
Mastiff up all too obvious to outsiders
43:27
but within the breed their blind to them 0
43:32
we’ve allowed some breeds to become too heavy some too short faced
43:36
some too heavy coated some too short legged
43:39
others too short-lived all in the pursuit of cosmetic
43:44
points not sound anatomical points
43:53
Bulldogs were once used for baiting Bulls for
43:57
and breeders are funded explaining that the roles on the dock space
44:01
but there to channel the Bulls blood away from the dock skies
44:04
also that the shape at the docs head would allow it to breed
44:08
while hanging onto people’s noses not since
44:12
says doc historian David Hancock the dogs in the betting rings
44:17
having headed dogs but they had ample draw length
44:20
the way in which preaches trying to justify
44:25
the short face the excessive wrinkling
44:28
and the physique that it now depicts as being traditional
44:32
just simply untrue if they were not i John the pool killed them
44:36
that’s a pretty severe test
44:39
ok is what we’ve done to the Bulldog
44:43
left a hundred years 0
44:46
no
44:48
mound
44:52
in fact on national dog has been distorted into such a natural shade
44:57
the most can no longer made without assistance will give birth naturally
45:04
0
45:05
three
45:07
home we have this spew the Bulldog is meant like on Nov
45:11
Great Britain on wonderful robust rates but the reality is that
45:16
if Britain was anything like a bulldog be on its knees in be
45:19
totally collapsed we become completely desensitized to the fact that breeding
45:25
these mutants these
45:26
deformed disabled disease pronoun animals
45:29
is I the shocking or abnormal beat snorts
45:33
new which brings us to the extraordinary story
45:38
of crops 2003 this year’s Best in Show judge
45:42
mister Albert right is brought into the ring by the cap
45:46
for so long here it was all to do with this stock
45:50
Danny the peak from the toy group the Pekingese acceptable
45:56
Danny one crops in 2003
46:00
as he stopped tasks of this is
46:04
bombers bless its heart is the first without the years you could fit into the
46:07
cup
46:08
damning had to sit on ice pack to have his cock to show photos taken
46:13
that’s because the peaks washed face makes it difficult for them to breed
46:17
so they overheat sometimes fatally in fact they’re so prone to respiratory
46:23
distress
46:24
the several airlines won’t fly them all Bulldogs ok hugs
46:28
for the same reason but this was the problem
46:32
the problem was shortly after crops he was accused of having had a facelift
46:37
speaking up and talk to improve the docs chances in the sharing
46:43
is not unheard of it’s against Cal Cup rules though
46:47
save true done he would have lost his title the doc wealth held its breath
46:52
and then after an investigation
46:55
the Kennel Club announces the all done it had wasn’t operation to alleviate a
46:59
chronic throat infection
47:01
Danny yaki a dangerous liaison to give miss pedigree name
47:05
was still Supreme Champion but we can revealed that the operation Danny really
47:11
had
47:12
was one to fix a serious inherited problem the experts we talked to was
47:16
shocked
47:17
that there are no rules to prevent such a doc winning Crufts
47:20
someone sometime felt it was desirable to have
47:24
dogs with virtually no face
47:27
and that that has led to all kinds have knock-on effects
47:30
the soft tissues to occupied the back at the throats
47:34
are all compressed into a much smaller area and not interfere is
47:39
with the ability the animal to preschool every year
47:42
we see dogs of the squashed nose variety
47:46
Bulldogs peak sparks dies a result in fact poor a conformational
47:53
a glass cuvettes cool on May 29th 2002
47:56
Danny had an operation to correct the full a procedure known as the soft
48:01
palate
48:02
reception essentially the removable that excess tissue in down his throat
48:06
you that an animal like this store should then go on to win Best in Show
48:11
his deeply worrying ok
48:15
in fact dog this had to come in relation really has no place in shipping
48:20
this is even greater concern to professor Brockman is the fact that
48:23
Danny my to cost on the problem to his puppies
48:26
ok this disease is clearly inherited because it’s the product to selective
48:31
breeding and so an animal it is severely affected
48:34
has a very good chance of passing this straight on to offspring
48:37
and Danny a star-crossed since 2001 has fathered
48:43
18 litters they cannot walk a lot farther down the gauntlet election that
48:48
perfectly formed as well I know warns criticisms
48:51
make about the free but this worked for me
48:54
is absolute perfection there are those in the dog world who care passionately
49:01
about health
49:02
who try to do the right thing the problem is that they’re trapped in a
49:07
system that
49:08
often rewards doing the wrong thing Worcestershire
49:15
famous for Apple’s Colvin water
49:19
was two souls the most prestigious event in the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
49:23
calendar
49:24
the championship Shannon
49:31
people come from all over the world to this event
49:34
some big winning dogs here change hands for
49:37
thousands of pounds
49:44
Carol Fowler is here too we didn’t think that this
49:47
it just three years since she started campaigning for action on certain to my
49:51
ear
49:51
the brink addition she believes is destroying the breed
49:54
the mechanic up is no funding research into the disease
50:00
but breeders is still not take it too seriously as Cal would like
50:04
some of the characteristics
50:07
attributed to select syringa by are not always what they seem
50:12
don’t scratch Doc Scratch most continue to breed from tested dogs
50:18
make new friends about it I simply will not have my doubts MRI scan
50:23
and cavalier internet lists bristle with the tree on about Carol
50:27
she’s very much disliked pilot
50:30
people from interfering in something they feel
50:34
she has no night market Carter is the exception
50:39
six years ago she discovered that her top stock top Monte
50:43
had syringa my Kenya
50:46
but by then it was too late
50:49
montieth passed on the condition to dozens of his puppies
50:54
determined that it should never happen again margaret has worked hard to raise
50:58
awareness about the disease
51:00
for the past seven years she’s been on the main bhi clubs health committee
51:04
special responsibility pursuant to my Union yes I think
51:08
53 meets Italian I think she’s move mountains and take my hat off to
51:14
but the support for an outsider
51:19
is frowned upon within the freemen we have tipped off
51:27
the winning dog here has been diagnosed with three martina
51:30
there are no rules to stop
51:34
anyone showing a dog with an inherited disease when challenged
51:40
it’s not uncomfortable moment for owner beverly kyle Stanley
51:43
Becky can you just tell us how to run it has done today
51:47
has won Best in Show today so they can see
51:51
amazing this is like the biggest
51:54
shown on the calendar for the company’s in addition in the year
51:58
and it’s just amazing sweet to me it’s been a nudge to us that Random House Inc
52:06
max
52:07
is that true plants
52:09
not comments
52:13
so he’s not and knows what to do if I when I know it’s be the case because I
52:20
have seen the MRI scans
52:22
the Stoke and icing my here
52:25
he said should could be any mistake but what he saw
52:31
now you know that now but i’ve seen
52:34
stats and have critique
52:38
yes astonishing
52:41
the doc 1 even though many people at the very highest level in the breed
52:45
know that the doc is affected most
52:48
the the top leaders people that show
52:52
welna dubner
52:55
I do believe that if something’s not done
52:59
it’s going to be too to do anything and
53:03
if going company is the way
53:06
to get people to stop and think about that thing
53:09
that’s what with specialist he diagnosed
53:16
champ don’t grow told own a bevy Costello that she should never breed
53:20
from him
53:21
I was not the East a side so much in space not which is not
53:27
true brenda has fathered 34 legends
53:31
26th and since he was diagnosed my
53:35
human response I it’s just overwhelming sadness
53:38
I’m because I knew that as a consequence is that
53:42
dogs are going to the in pain you know if you took a stick
53:46
are you eat a talk to create this pain
53:50
you can get this ring to my India you be prosecuted but there’s nothing to stop
53:54
you
53:55
freaking it ok that can be painful I’m hoping with all my heart
53:59
that the breed can be saved I’m
54:03
and some some days I feel optimistic
54:06
this well and other days I feel very very pessimistic that
54:11
unless everybody works together for the sake of the trade
54:14
the future does not look good for this parade for reducing if we lost the cup
54:18
we would be losing the most adorable
54:22
gentlest companion dark
54:26
in the world
54:29
after three years of fighting for her beloved breed
54:31
Carol Ann to MP Jeffrey Clifton Brown arrive at the house floor spread it to
54:36
you
54:37
having campaign said the Companion Animal Welfare Council
54:41
cork has called a top-level meeting to try to find a way forward for the
54:45
Cavalia
54:46
many key players will be here
54:49
including the kennel clubs just something it’s quite pleased to see this
54:56
which is more than can be said for the Cavalia breeds prices you
55:05
also here geneticists a representative from the government department that
55:09
oversees animal health and welfare
55:11
infects including the RSPCA’s Mark Evans
55:21
the hope is that this PT will mark a new beginning not just for Cavaliers
55:26
for football pedigree docs but it will take much more than talk
55:31
you and the Kennel Club still isn’t budging
55:34
a monkey issue think about its
55:38
previous futures rose is
55:41
room down for the Kennel Club to puts tougher regulations into place to ensure
55:45
the readers do tell you the line
55:47
intensive we have this a bit before it for john wants a big issue and
55:52
you know the answer is in my answer hasn’t changed my answer is that at the
55:55
moment the Kennel Club could
55:57
knows where a large number of dog breed is live we can contact see still don’t
56:02
think that
56:03
the kinda company chief anything by getting tougher with great tits would
56:06
lose the
56:07
they would stop reading the talk to just do which is to be outside of the Kennel
56:10
Club can I ask you
56:13
why are you so upset to see if this morning I’m
56:17
three Cup championships night printing
56:21
discussing best chance about something that made me a
56:25
was completely out do you think that a adoption with
56:28
with certain Maria you think that’s right
56:36
do you think the system should be changed so that dove have a
56:39
inherited defect shouldn’t win
56:44
okay well thank you very much
56:54
it’s really hard often not come to the conclusion
56:57
that many Britons are in big trouble that the show is responsible for the
57:02
woman
57:03
toxins captures some instances and in calcutta is not doing enough to tackle
57:11
and I wouldn’t accept your argument that many breeds are in extreme trouble
57:16
there are some breeds that are in some degree of couple and
57:19
the whole effort love Jess Department
57:23
the Kennel Club and charitable trust is in trying
57:26
to direct ourselves against these problems and to trade
57:30
tooth do good things for these breeds really has to I think come from
57:38
legislation personally
57:40
has to be some legislation that imposes limits on what can be Tom
57:44
within the context of dog breed we know the temp readings bad
57:48
it should stop should be rules that lay that down
57:51
and then that covers everybody and also gives an opportunity to move forward
57:55
in a new direction
58:02
this is a no brainer of course we have to change
58:05
we have to you encourage those involved in the industry
58:10
to do a complete top to bottom review
58:13
of both breed standards on the rules and regulations
58:17
up doc showing to move it away from its obsession with beauty
58:21
32 quality of life but unless we start now
58:27
the pedigree dog hasn’t got a chance
58:36
if you been affected by the issues in tonight’s program
58:38
and would like further information and support please call the 24-hour BBC
58:43
action line
58:43
on 08 thousand 680 double one aids
58:47
cause a free hand confidential and you can discuss the program right now with
58:51
Richard Bacon
58:52
on BBC Radio 5 Live ha