Urgent action is needed to safeguard the welfare of pedigree dogs, according to a new independent scientific report commissioned by the RSPCA and led by Cambridge scientist Dr David Sargan.
Urgent action is needed to safeguard the welfare of pedigree dogs, according to a new independent scientific report commissioned by the RSPCA and led by Cambridge scientist Dr David Sargan.
I hope this independent report will be seen as a constructive contribution to the debate and that it stimulates discussion amongst everyone involved in order to identify practical, evidence-based solutions that really make a difference.
Mark Evans, the RSPCA's chief veterinary adviser
The report concludes that exaggerated physical features and inherited diseases cause serious welfare problems in pedigree dogs.
Because each breed has its own problems there is unlikely to be one cure-all solution. However, the authors have suggested a number of possible ways forward. The four measures considered to be of greatest priority are:
- Systematic collection of data on the diseases all dogs suffer from and causes of death.
- Changes to current registration rules to prevent the registration of puppies born from the mating of close relatives.
- Changes to current registration rules to allow new genetic material to be introduced into breeds. Currently a dog can only be registered with the Kennel Club if both its mother and father are registered members of that breed's studbook.
- Monitoring of the effectiveness of any changes to breeding strategies.
Mark Evans, the RSPCA's chief veterinary adviser, said: "I hope this independent report will be seen as a constructive contribution to the debate and that it stimulates discussion amongst everyone involved in order to identify practical, evidence-based solutions that really make a difference."
The report, entitled Pedigree Dog Breeding in the UK: A Major Welfare Concern?, reviews the relevant science and was compiled by a group of highly respected scientists, vets and dog welfare experts who propose possible ways of improving pedigree dog welfare.
The most urgent recommendation made by the authors - the systematic collection of data on inherited diseases suffered by dogs - is already being addressed.
A new three-year research project has been launched to create an electronic system for collecting, analysing and reporting data on inherited disorders in both dogs and cats. When complete, for the first time in the UK there will be comprehensive data to show the prevalence of inherited disorders in specific breeds. This will allow the effectiveness of any new breeding initiatives to be monitored.
Dr Sargan, one of the co-lead authors on this report, is a senior lecturer at the Veterinary School and a comparative geneticist with special interests in canine genetic diseases. He curates the database Inherited Diseases in Dogs, and has produced a number of DNA based tests for canine inherited diseases.
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