PETA is taking the American Kennel Club to court, claiming that prized dog breed standards are fueling a legacy of pain and premature death for beloved pets. The animal rights group has filed a lawsuit in New York State Supreme Court, seeking to end the AKC's official requirements for the bulldog, the dachshund, the pug, the Chinese shar-pei, and the French bulldog, arguing the standards—mandating short faces in bulldogs and pugs and short legs in dachshunds, for example—are "blueprints for the breeding of deformed, unhealthy dogs," reports the Washington Post. Health problems include breathing difficulties, heat stroke, hearing loss, painful infections, and even conditions that can cause blindness in sunken-eyed shar-peis.
According to the suit, these physical features are required solely for aesthetics, not the animals' wellbeing. The AKC, for its part, rejects PETA's claims, saying its standards are developed in consultation with veterinary experts and breeders to maintain breed integrity while prioritizing health. The group maintains that responsible breeding according to its standards results in "healthy and valued companions." The debate over breeding practices isn't new. Studies have shown some of these breeds have shorter life expectancies, and countries like the Netherlands and Norway have banned the breeding of certain dogs over animal welfare concerns, per the AP. Still, breeds like the French bulldog remain in high demand, topping the AKC's registration lists last year.
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