4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Egluntyne]

Just heard on the news.....the RSPCA is to pull out of Crufts over concerns about the welfare of pedigree dogs.

 

About time.

[KimmyCustard]

At the risk of sounding like an ignoramus, what happens with the pedigree dogs and Crufts please?

 

Kimmy

x

[Egluntyne]

**This article ** more or less sums it up.

[Paola]

Why has it taken them so long? This has been going on for donkeys Finally they sit up and do something about it

[KimmyCustard]

Agree completely.

 

A few years ago, my brother rescued a German Shepherd dog as a 'friend' of his bought it as a puppy, to 'show'. The dog apparently grew to be an eighth of an inch too short to show and this friend was going to have him put down. Brother said: 'I'll have him.' He had him for around ten years before he went to Doggy Heaven. He was gorgeous and a big softy who loved Mr Whippy icecream.

 

Some people are weird.

 

Kimmy

x

[Snowy]

Hm, not 100% sure if this is a good thing or not ... I completely disagree with what the breeders are doing, but feel that the RSPCA may actually be better there where they can re-educate people. It also smacks a little of a publicity stunt again - why did it take a BBC programme to highlight to the RSPCA what was happening? Surely they were already aware? Don't want to put a damper on things, sorry - but am feeling very cynical about this!

[mrsallen08]

I must admit I used to love watching crufts but since I have read more reports on the way in which these dogs are bred and treated I am no longer a fan. Many people have 'pedigree' dogs just for attention and as a status symbol. It always worries me too how many people are breeding them and selling to make an instant profit.

I'm glad RSPCA have backed out but I still have little respect for the RSPCA in the way that they aim to rehome animals.

[chelsea]

cant believe the RSPCA actually did something good for once! (or is there something for them in it other than the welfare of animals??)

 

Im very sceptical of the RSPCA.

 

good for the doggies though.

[Shirl]

I can't see what difference it makes to anyone whether the RSPCA is involved or not. The exhibitors don't care whether the RSPCA is there and neither do the spectators.

 

What some breeders do such as putting healthy dogs to sleep, well isn't that what the RSPCA do anyway? Double standards me thinks

[Paola]

why did it take a BBC programme to highlight to the RSPCA what was happening? Surely they were already aware? Don't want to put a damper on things, sorry - but am feeling very cynical about this!

 

That crossed my mind also

[theherd123]

I can't see what difference it makes to anyone whether the RSPCA is involved or not. The exhibitors don't care whether the RSPCA is there and neither do the spectators.

 

I was an exhibitor at Crufts for 4 years and a spectator for almost 10 and i do care that the RSPCA are there - for general education if nothing else.

 

I think its all too tempting to watch programmes like the recent one on TV and tar all breeders with the same brush. This is not the case at all. Yes there are some folks who will exploit animals but this is the same for any species - dogs, cats, chickens you name it!

Im sure there are some chicken breeders who dont have many morals when it comes to breeding and caring for their livestock.

 

I was involved in breeding miniature English Bull Terriers some years ago and had a strict policy on who i allowed my dog to be mated with due to health risks in the gene pool. I restricted him to 4 studs and all were to different females whose pedigrees i spent many hours researching into and looking at the possibility of any negative outcomes with regards to the puppies that would be born. If i wasnt happy with what i found out, the mating was turned down. I strictly adhered to my policy of only 4 matings and even when very large sums of money were offered by an extremely influential family when they asked if their female could have a litter of pups with my male i turned them down.

 

Not all breeders are out to make money, turn out another show champion at the cost of the dogs health or destroy puppies that dont make the show grade.

 

I agree that the ones who have no morals when it comes to breeding should be targeted and dealt with, and the Kennel Club have been trying to do this for years but like everything else it takes time, solid evidence and a great deal of hard work.

[Shirl]

I've exhibited at Crufts too and wouldn't know or care whether the RSPCA are there and I know I'm not alone. They have only had a stand there for 4 years so it's not like they've been there for many years and are pulling out.

 

I agree with what you've said. I have had to be careful about breeding because one of my females died from a genetic back condition and I still own a cousin and half sister. Fortunately not all my dogs are from the same lines so I do still have one girl that is suitable to be bred from. It is taring everyone with the same brush but that's what makes a good press story.

[dancing cloud]

OK, set out the stall up front - I am entirely against any practices that are harmful to the dogs themselves eg tail docking, but I do believe the irresponsible breeders are very much the minority and this will have no effect on them whatsoever.

 

My parents acquired our first pedigree Elkhound through the RSPCA in 1976 and have owned/showed/bred ever since. All of their dogs have regular health checks - hips and eyes tested etc - and all breeding partners have to have the same. They have always been very picky about who got puppies and were not afraid to offend people that they did not consider suitable. They are unable to show one of their current girls as she had to have an operation at six months to correct ingrowing eyelashes and the Kennel Club counts this as cosmetic surgery , so she cannot be shown. She's now seven and they would no more dream of parting wth her than flying to the moon! All of their pets have a home for life, all of my pets have a home for life.

 

That said, we have encountered several people in many breeds who use their dogs as commodities and dispose of them when they are no longer useful or profitable. I also watched the BBC programme and it did seem to feature a substantial number of people that should have known better (family forum, so polite terms only ). I very much doubt they will care whether the RSPCA is at Crufts or not.

 

I echo the sentiments of theherd123, you will get always irresponsible people who misuse and exploit their animals (how many chickens find themselves looking for homes?) but they are very much the minority and very much outnumbered by the rest of us that love our pets to bits and back.

 

Soap-box going away now it's safe to come out again ...

[Rhapsody]

I think the RSPCA should be all over Crufts like a rash not ducking out! As for 'solid evidence' of malpractice, how about banning dogs that can no longer give birth naturally - English Bulldogs come to mind here, that would be a good and easy start wouldnt it?

[Louise]

There was an article on the BBC website yesterday about this saying that KC were going to stop the BBC broadcasting crufts after the investigation programme

 

Alot of the breed standards are just nonsense now

[BeckyBoo]

What some breeders do such as putting healthy dogs to sleep, well isn't that what the RSPCA do anyway? Double standards me thinks

 

Exactly.

 

 

I can't see why this is news, people who care about animal welfare have had serious concerns about extreme breeding for years. You only have to remember German Shephers who sloped SO badly to the back that they could barely stand. God, that was when I was a child, why has the RSPCA, a charity allegedly concerned with animal welfare only just decided to make a stand? This has been going on for YEARS. I'm VERY cynical too

 

Mrs B

[Nuggywoo]

Whether or not the RSPCA should be there or not is immaterial - it's not them who define breed standards. It's about time The Kennel Club were prosecuted for cruelty to dogs. After watching 'that' programme on TV I was sickened (still am!) by the almost complete change in the dogs from 100 years ago. A lot of breeds are unrecognizable and that's totally wrong. I won't even go into the physical & mental defects these poor overbred, inbred animals have.

 

How could a German Shepherd (who couldn't walk...) win Best of Breed???

 

The Kennel Club is a disgrace.

 

(ps This is not aimed at the caring breeders who do their research into bloodlines etc)

[Emma Tarpey]

I agree.

Excessive breeding is a big problem. I really hate people who make their dogs have their tails docked when their puppies. its just all so wrong

 

Yet last year when i went to crufts it was obvious that some dogs wern't 100% and thats me!!! so what took the rspca so long???