Push for a ban on ‘baby-faced’ dog breeding as backyard sellers and dodgy pet shops are targeted following damning report on puppy farming. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11144385/Ban-Brachycephalic-Obstructive-Airway-Syndrome-BOAS-dog-breeds-looms-puppy-farming-report.html
Ready to take on the appeal case in Borgarting Court of Appeal. https://www.nkk.no/the-lawsuit/ready-to-take-on-the-appeal-case-in-borgarting-court-of-appeal-article216720-1467.html
Fighting for the Cavalier and the Bulldogs health. https://www.dyrebeskyttelsen.no/aerlig-talt-english/the-first-lawsuit-updates/
Norwegian Kennel Club (NKK) Summary of the first day of the appeal proceedings. https://www.nkk.no/the-lawsuit/summary-of-the-first-day-of-the-appeal-proceedings-article216959-1467.html
Norwegian Kennel Club (NKK) Summary from the second day of the appeal. https://www.nkk.no/the-lawsuit/summary-from-the-second-day-of-the-appeal-article217033-1467.html
Report from the third day of the appeal, Wednesday 21 September: the expert witnesses’ day in court. https://www.nkk.no/the-lawsuit/report-from-the-third-day-of-the-appeal-wednesday-21-september-the-expert-witnesses-day-in-court-article217090-1467.html
Report from the fourth day of the appeal: How would a breed ban be enforced? https://www.nkk.no/the-lawsuit/report-from-the-fourth-day-of-the-appeal-how-would-a-breed-ban-be-enforced-article217131-1467.html
Report from the last day of the appeal proceedings: closing arguments . https://www.nkk.no/the-lawsuit/report-from-the-last-day-of-the-appeal-proceedings-closing-arguments-article217245-1467.html
The Norwegian Society for Protection of Animals and the Norwegian Kennel Club met for a rematch in the dog breeding case in Borgarting Court of Appeal last month. https://www.dyrebeskyttelsen.no/2022/10/12/why-fight-for-the-right-to-breed-sick-dogs/
Does the club have the following information: What percentage (aproximately) of the 12 breeds involved, currently registered in the studbook, meet the requirements of the Skull/Nose ratio?
borisbo12, The Norwegian Kennel Club (NKK) may be able to help you. https://www.nkk.no/contact-us/category1046.html
Disappointment as Norwegian Kennel Club partly loses court appeal. https://kommunikasjon.ntb.no/pressemelding/disappointment-as-norwegian-kennel-club-partly-loses-court-appeal?publisherId=17848316&releaseId=17947440&lang=en
Important victory for the dogs in the court of appeals. https://kommunikasjon.ntb.no/pressemelding/important-victory-for-the-dogs-in-the-court-of-appeals?publisherId=16958427&releaseId=17947410&lang=no
Health test proposal for new brachycephalic dog strategy. https://www.vettimes.co.uk/news/health-test-proposal-for-new-brachycephalic-dog-strategy/
The Norwegian Kennel Club will appeal as a matter of principle. https://www.nkk.no/the-lawsuit/the-norwegian-kennel-club-will-appeal-as-a-matter-of-principle-article223035-1467.html
Netherlands to ban keeping dogs with short snouts. https://www.belganewsagency.eu/netherlands-to-ban-keeping-dogs-with-short-snouts
Towards a ban on animals that suffer from their appearance (Netherlands) translated to English.
Towards a ban on animals that suffer from their appearance
News item | 2023-01-20 | 09:23
Minister Piet Adema (LNV) today announced far-reaching steps towards a Netherlands in which no pet would have to suffer from his or her appearance. Two bans are being considered for animals with harmful external characteristics, such as cats with folding ears. It concerns a keeping ban and a display ban. If a ban on keeping animals is imposed, this automatically means a trade and import ban.
When choosing a pet, people often choose features that they find cute, for example dogs with a short snout or cats with folding ears. They have the best intentions, but often do not know that animals can suffer permanently from these characteristics. For example, dogs with a snout that is too short have to constantly gasp for breath.
Today, Minister Adema is announcing his action plan to prevent this animal suffering, starting with dogs and cats. This means developing two measures for animals with harmful external characteristics: a ban on keeping animals and a ban on showing.
Minister Piet Adema: “This subject affects me not only as a minister, but also as a person. We make life miserable for innocent animals, purely because we think they are ‘beautiful’ and ‘cute’. That is why today we are taking a big step towards a Netherlands where no pet has to suffer from his or her appearance. The keeping and display bans with which I want to achieve this will require a lot of time to be carefully worked out. They are a complex pursuit, but also a right pursuit.”
Ban on keeping animals (and trade and import ban)
LNV wants to move towards a ban on keeping animals. That ban would mean that pets with harmful external characteristics may no longer be kept.
The possibility of a list of external characteristics that can be objectively determined to cause permanent suffering and that can be objectively determined in individual animals is currently being considered. Animals that comply with this may then no longer be kept. That list will start small, but will be further expanded on the basis of further research into harmful characteristics that can be objectively determined in the individual animal.
There is a transitional arrangement: people who already have an animal with that characteristic at home at the time when a characteristic is banned may keep that animal until it dies.
In practice, a ban on keeping animals also means a trade and import ban. In order to trade or import an animal, a trader must also (briefly) own the animal and that is no longer allowed.
Show ban
Seeing a certain type of pet frequently or prominently increases demand for it. To reduce the demand for pets with harmful external properties, LNV is working on a display ban. This is a ban on showing pets with harmful external characteristics, for example in commercials, advertisements and on social media. Also consider the role of celebrities and influencers.
Complexity
Both a keeping ban and a display ban are complex and raise many questions. How do we objectively demonstrate when an animal suffers from its appearance? How do we handle the freedoms of social media with care? How do we ensure proper enforcement? These issues will take time to work out carefully. But we already want to inform people that this is coming, especially people who are considering bringing a new pet into their home.
Frequently asked questions about the ban on animals suffering from their appearance
Does a ban on keeping animals mean that my animal will be taken away.
No. As soon as a ban is imposed, a transitional period will apply to animals that are already owned - you can then keep them. The ban then applies to people who want a new animal with harmful external characteristics
What type of animals will fall under these bans?.
This has yet to be specifically determined and will also be gradually supplemented, but the frameworks below are being considered.
The display ban applies to animals with external characteristics that entail an increased risk of harm to welfare.
Example: Not all dogs with short muzzles suffer, but a short muzzle does increase the risk.
The ban on keeping animals has a greater impact. Therefore, it only applies to animals that have a characteristic that, by definition, entails permanent suffering.
Example: cats with folded ears, because all cats with folded ears suffer from the associated cartilage defect.
In all this, the priority is on dogs and cats as the most common pets.
What will be done with animals that are still kept illegally in the event of a ban on keeping animals?
We will elaborate on this further, because several options are conceivable. But this will of course have consequences for at least the holder. The message must be clear: purchasing these animals is irresponsible, results in a serious harm to welfare and will soon no longer be allowed.
Can I no longer post photos of my pet on social media?
We want to reduce the demand for animals with harmful external characteristics. It is known that seeing a certain type of animal often or prominently actually increases the demand for that type of animal. This often happens through commercials, advertisements and social media. That’s why we want this to stop happening.
Social media is complex because it is international and has many platforms. The effect of the screening ban will therefore be complex. We will have to make careful considerations about the implementation of the ban: animal welfare is paramount, but we also want to limit people’s freedom of movement on social media as little as possible.
Why is this becoming known now while the prohibitions still have to be worked out?
We want to inform people in time that this is coming, so that people who are considering bringing an animal into their home can already take this into account. The minister also wants to clarify what the Dutch can expect from him when it comes to animal welfare. We also hope that this will further fuel the social debate: what do we, as a country, consider normal in terms of animal welfare?
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Netherlands moves to ban pets suffering ‘harmful’ traits. https://news.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=210&catId=620&Id=11385222
Dog breeding ends up in the Supreme Court. https://www.dyrebeskyttelsen.no/2023/03/23/dog-breeding-ends-up-in-the-supreme-court/
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Dier&Recht sleept rashondenclub Raad van Beheer voor de rechter, https://www.dierenrecht.nl/nieuwsartikelen/dierrecht-sleept-rashondenclub-raad-van-beheer-voor-rechter
Translated to English.
20 juli 2023 Kelly Kessen
The Raad van Beheer continues to issue pedigrees to pugs, French bulldogs and other pedigree dogs with sickening short muzzles. By law, these dogs are not allowed to be bred. Dier&Recht wants this to stop and has taken the Board of Directors to court.
Pedigrees for illegally bred dogs
Since 2019, there are clear criteria for breeding short-muzzled dogs. In short, it is no longer allowed to breed with dogs that have a too short muzzle or closed nostrils. Breeders who do not comply with this are breaking the law. The Raad van Beheer rewards these breeders by handing over pedigrees for a fee so that the puppies can be sold as pedigree dogs. The Raad van Beheer declares that a pedigree means that the puppy has been bred responsibly and with an eye for animal welfare. The opposite is true.
Dier&Recht wants a muzzle for all dogs
Dogs with a short muzzle are often stuffy and suffer from all kinds of ailments. Think of eye diseases, dental problems and skin fold infections. The short stocky build also causes hernias and birth problems. Dier&Recht stands up for the dogs and wants all dogs to have a sufficiently long snout so that they are protected from a life full of misery.
Lawsuit filed
Dier&Recht believes that the Raad van Beheer should stop issuing pedigrees for puppies that have been bred in violation of the law. The Raad van Beheer refuses this and that is why Dier&Recht is now going to court. The Board of Directors has now received the summons. Dier&Recht is assisted by Mr. Hanneke Wellenberg of Soeverein Advocaten.
Breeding of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels is a violation the Animal Welfare Act, while breeding of English Bulldogs under a certain breeding program is not.
https://www.domstol.no/en/supremecourt/rulings/2023/supreme-court-civil-cases/HR-2023-1901-A/