How can the BBC demand that The Kennel Club ban some breeds of dogs from being entered into Crufts Dog Show??? Surely it is up to Crufts who they allow to enter for the show. Why have they thrown a hissy fit and refused to cover it?
I can see the point of the BBC if they are concerned for the health of certain breeds,I know that some breeds do have specific health problems due to certain breed standards and have always thought that some breeders put the dog's appearance first without thinking of the consequences.
for the same reason Pedigree Chum will no longer sponsor the show - they're taking a stand against cruelty, as mentioned above. Of course, Crufts could just ignore this, that's their right. I'm sure they'll get some viewers on channel 5.
Many dogs are bred to enhance specific features...but these very features cause problems with dogs unable to breath properly, or walk properly, and so on.
Many of these dogs are now "freaks" and it is being just as cruel to these animals as people who mistreat their dogs in other ways like hitting them.
The Beeb did a programme on this a few months back, in it they described some of the freaks that the Kennel Club encourage. Boxers whose heads are too small for their brains causing massive epileptic fits. Pugs and pug type dogs who have to have operations to enable them to breathe properly - incidentally a Crufts Best In Show Peke had just recovered from this operation when he won - add to all this the docking of tails and ears and the encouraging of breeding from massively ill formed animals in order to keep to the (so-called) breed standard.
The BBC is not having a hissy fit, they are reacting to the massive lobbying of their licence payers - me included.
The KC has been left to it's own devices for too long and has proven that it is unable to police the breeding of pedigree dogs. How many people assumed that the KC checks for inbreeding when registering dogs? The trouble is, people only seem to do their research when they already have a puppy and it's too late then. It's good that the BBC is making a stand on behalf of the dog owning public. Let's hope that it doesn't get picked up by another channel, if KC is hit in the pocket change will come.