Welfare Concerns on Pedigree Dogs
Jason Liew Ans170 TA: Victoria Cussen Welfare Concerns of Pedigree Dogs
Issues relating to the health and welfare of pedigree dogs have been expressed for nearly 50 years (Hodgeman, 1963). Companion dogs were once selected for their ability to perform in a working environment. However, the dogs of today are selected for aesthetic qualities set out in written breed standards (Rooney & Sargan, 2010). This aspires the breeders to breed show-quality dogs with disregard to health because show-quality is their main concern. Many individuals within these select breed lines suffer compromised welfare either directly or indirectly due to selective breeding and reduced genetic variability (Rooney & Sargan, 2010). Problems associated with genetic change are serious for reasons such as; they affect large numbers of dogs, the effects perpetuate from generation to generation, the animal’s quality of life can be severely reduced, and the effects may be long lasting (Rooney & Sargan, 2010). These issues cause pain and suffering to the dogs. Since dog breeding for show is a hobby, there is moral obligation to maximize the dog’s quality of life and avoid risks to their health and welfare. I think that pedigree dog breeding would be ethical if we progressed towards individuals with a healthier future and improved the welfare of pedigree dogs, scientific evidence linking breed standards to clinically observed disorders needs to be gathered to give definitive proof that certain standards should be changed, and some breeding practices abolished (Nicholas et al., 2010). We have this moral obligation to the dogs because they are able to feel pain and suffering which grants them moral standing. Since they have moral standing we owe them direct duties in which we will do our best to minimize and avoid any pain and suffering to them. Morphological extremes can
Issues relating to the health and welfare of pedigree dogs have been expressed for nearly 50 years (Hodgeman, 1963). Companion dogs were once selected for their ability to perform in a working environment. However, the dogs of today are selected for aesthetic qualities set out in written breed standards (Rooney & Sargan, 2010). This aspires the breeders to breed show-quality dogs with disregard to health because show-quality is their main concern. Many individuals within these select breed lines suffer compromised welfare either directly or indirectly due to selective breeding and reduced genetic variability (Rooney & Sargan, 2010). Problems associated with genetic change are serious for reasons such as; they affect large numbers of dogs, the effects perpetuate from generation to generation, the animal’s quality of life can be severely reduced, and the effects may be long lasting (Rooney & Sargan, 2010). These issues cause pain and suffering to the dogs. Since dog breeding for show is a hobby, there is moral obligation to maximize the dog’s quality of life and avoid risks to their health and welfare. I think that pedigree dog breeding would be ethical if we progressed towards individuals with a healthier future and improved the welfare of pedigree dogs, scientific evidence linking breed standards to clinically observed disorders needs to be gathered to give definitive proof that certain standards should be changed, and some breeding practices abolished (Nicholas et al., 2010). We have this moral obligation to the dogs because they are able to feel pain and suffering which grants them moral standing. Since they have moral standing we owe them direct duties in which we will do our best to minimize and avoid any pain and suffering to them. Morphological extremes can