A leading animal charity is calling for brands and businesses to stop using pugs and French bulldogs in their advertisements to help protect animals.
It comes as flat-faced dogs continue to gain popularity, with The Kennel Club reporting a 2,747 per cent rise in the number of Frenchies registered in the last 17 years.
As of 2021, brachycephalic breeds account for one fifth of the nation’s dog population, but owners often don’t realise that their pets could be in pain.
A survey from the Royal Veterinary College revealed that 58 per cent of short-nosed dog owners couldn’t recognise the signs that their brachycephalic dog was struggling to breathe.
Blue Cross has launched a series of mock adverts around London calling on British brands to stop using these animals in their ad campaigns, in a bid to prevent a welfare crisis using the hashtag #endthetrend.
Brachycephalic describes any dog whose muzzle looks like it has been flattened or squashed inwards. Their bottom jaw is often disproportionately longer than their upper jaw, and the dog may look as though their lower jaw sticks out.
Some of the breeds that are considered as ‘brachy’ include pugs, French bulldogs and Boston terriers - with Persian cats and Lionhead rabbits also affected.
And as a result of them being used to promote products that are often completely unrelated to the dogs, they’ve been given a fashionable status, and are often popular with celebrities.
Famous faces who love their Frenchies include Lady Gaga - whose were stolen earlier this year - as well as Dwayne Johnson, Reece Witherspoon and Hugh Jackman, whilst the likes of Nicola Roberts, Paris Hilton and Kelly Osbourne have favoured pugs.
But Blue Cross - who have been helping sick, injured, abandoned and homeless pets since 1897 - say that the obsession with these animals has caused a welfare crisis, having treated over 5,000 brachy pets in the last two years.
Common procedures that the charity perform on these animals include:
Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (or ‘BOAS’) Surgery – which they say is ‘a complicated and stressful surgery for any pet to have to undergo’, but vital to widen their nasal passages and shorten their soft palate to improve their ability to breathe.
Enucleation and eyelid surgery – surgery to repair or remove their eyes and modify their eyelids due to high rates of disease.
Emergency Caesarean section - because many cannot give birth to litters naturally and need medical intervention.
Blue Cross explained that these health problems have stemmed from a vicious cycle of over-breeding to meet the demand for these flat-faced, four-legged friends, many of which now no longer even resemble their healthy ancestors that came just a century before them.
A spokesperson for the charity added: “This has led to these breeds being seen as the latest ‘must have’ and an increase in impulse buying – often leading to pets being sold on or given up when their owners realise they cannot cope or afford vital vet bills for treatment associated with their breed.
"It has also led to a huge rise in the cost of puppies, particularly during the pandemic, which has sadly meant a huge rise in dog theft across the UK – with research showing that these breeds are often specifically targeted.”
The new End The Trend campaign asks brands to pledge to phase out the use of these pets in brand materials by the end of 2022.
The mock advertisements have been placed in 10 high-profile train stations in London, including Charing Cross, London Bridge, St Pancras, Victoria and Waterloo.
As part of the campaign, the charity has launched a petition which members of the public can sign to urge their favourite brands to commit to this pledge. The petition can be found here: www.bluecross.org.uk/endthetrend
Blue Cross vet, Caroline Reay, added: “Brachycephalic pets, like Frenchies and pugs, have soared in popularity in recent years. With their compelling big eyes and baby-like faces, our obsession with their appearance has created an animal welfare crisis.
“As these breeds grow in popularity, there is a rise in parallel of unscrupulous breeders looking to cash in on a trend. Our veterinary hospital teams are treating more and more very unwell pets who are experiencing health complications caused by breeding for a characteristic ‘flat face’.
“Frenchies, Pugs and Persians have become the poster pets for advertising, no matter the product, and behind those cute faces can lie horrifying health problems. We call on companies to find other ways to promote their wares and help us #EndTheTrend.”
