THE Netherlands banned the breeding of flat-faced dogs nearly a decade ago to address the cruelty of producing animals with exaggerated features that cause severe health problems.

The country now looks primed to ban keeping flat-faced dogs, such as pugs and English bulldogs, too, and I hope Scotland will lead the way in the UK by following suit.

Centuries of inbreeding for certain physical characteristics have resulted in breathing-impaired breeds (BIB). Greedy breeders have created deformities such as flat faces and short noses to satisfy arbitrary trends – as though dogs were bonsai trees to be contorted into shapes that please us.

Recently, I appeared on Good Morning Britain, speaking on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) about why the UK Government should follow in the footsteps of the Netherlands by banning BIBs.

On the sofa to my right sat a pug named Eva and her guardian, Aimee Vivian. I wasn’t arguing against Eva’s existence – I’m glad she has a loving home and encourage prospective dog guardians to adopt dogs, including BIBs, from shelters.

Rather, I was debating the perpetuation of these breeds, which are prone to suffering from innumerable chronic health issues. A 2022 study from the Royal Veterinary College found that pugs have so many health risks that they “can no longer be considered a ‘typical’ dog from a health perspective”.

Because they have been bred to have unnaturally shortened airways, many BIBs cannot run around or chase a ball without gasping for air. They often require invasive surgery to unblock their airways, a risky procedure that brings with it great expense. BIBs are among the most abandoned breeds, in part because guardians are unable to afford their hefty veterinary bills.

Too often, we hear stories of dogs abandoned and left to die, such as the French bulldog found outside a shop in Paisley last year. Yet breeders continue to churn out puppies for profit while an estimated 20,000 dogs are euthanised in shelters every year. We simply do not need to bring more dogs into this world that is already bursting at the seams with homeless animals – and certainly not ones who struggle to breathe.

Some say Scotland leads the UK when it comes to animal welfare legislation. Last year, it was announced that glue traps – one of the cruellest means of “rodent control” – are to be banned in the country. More recently, Edinburgh became the first European capital to endorse the Plant Based Treaty.

Now that the Dutch government has acknowledged the cruelty to animals inherent in breeding for exaggerated physical features, Scotland has an opportunity to follow suit by extending our compassion to breathing-impaired dogs whose lives are severely impaired simply because they have been bred for a certain look.

In the meantime, we can all avoid contributing to the demand for these dogs – if you’re ready to add an animal companion to your family, always adopt, never shop.

Jennifer White is Senior Media Officer with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta)