When I was growing up, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) was the biggest stunt queen, sometimes most times to the point where the spectacle outshone the mission or any good intentions. But PETA seems to have recalibrated in a positive way as of late — dare I say, they’ve successfully adopted impact over quantity — and I was right on board with them last year when they ripped into Will & Kate for breeding their dog Orla. Not to mention the fact that Orla herself was bred by James Middleton. Adopt, don’t shop! And spay/neuter your pups! Well, around the same time they scolded the Waleses last summer, PETA filed a lawsuit against the American Kennel Club. PETA alleged that AKC’s breed standards for French bulldogs, bulldogs, pugs, dachshunds, and Chinese shar-peis led to unhealthy dog breeding. But a judge ruled this week, tossing out the case on technical grounds (that the specific law PETA cited didn’t apply here), without making any comments on the meat of the dog bone.
The animal rights group PETA’s lawsuit over the health of French bulldogs and some other popular dog breeds has been dismissed, with a judge saying a New York law was misapplied to the case.
The suit, filed last year, marked a new front in the PETA’s long-running campaign against dog breeders. The case accused the American Kennel Club of promulgating unhealthy “standards,” or ideals, for Frenchies — the nation’s most prevalent dog breed, by the club’s count — as well as bulldogs, Chinese shar-peis, dachshunds and pugs. The AKC, the nation’s oldest purebred dog registry, rejected the claims and said it prioritizes canine health.
Club President Gina DiNardo hailed the decision Tuesday.
“We remain focused on what matters most, the preservation of purebred dogs, advocating for all dogs and the people who care for them, and supporting the right of individuals and families to choose the dog that is right for their household,” she said in a statement.
PETA, also called People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said its lawyers were assessing any legal options.
“Money-grubbing dog merchants flood the market with deformed dogs bred at the AKC’s direction,” founder Ingrid Newkirk said in a statement. She urged people to adopt dogs from shelters instead of buying purebred pups: “No dog should be custom-made for a look that causes pain.”
The suit invoked a New York law that is generally used to challenge state and local government decisions, though it’s occasionally applied to private organizations. But those have been organizations with some authority over the people suing them, such as union members bringing complaints about their leadership or co-op apartment residents suing their building’s board, state Judge David B. Cohen said in a decision filed Monday.
Again, no judicial judgment was rendered on the substance of PETA’s claims: that the breed standards set by AKC lead to breeding for traits that result in serious health problems for the dogs. All that happened was the judge determined that PETA applied a law incorrectly, so there was no legal standing for the case to proceed. While I think PETA is highlighting a genuine truth — that historically, humans have bred dogs for certain aesthetic traits that are not healthy — I don’t know if there’s a way for PETA to win this in court. Can the AKC be held directly responsible for standards shared among many kennel clubs? Not that I’m defending them! And dog knows all that “purebred” language is nauseating. I just don’t know what the practical strategy is here. The best I can come up with is for each of us to make sure the people in our pack rescue instead of going to a breeder. There are sooooo many good floofs yearning for forever homes!
Photos credit: Amanda Valverde, David Kanigan, Jorge Zaldívar Marroquín, Thierry Rossier, Ronnyb Ronny and Sóc Năng Động on Pexels
I know it’s a different topic but I will always side eye the AKC hard for not being against ear cropping and tail docking. For an organisation that should care about dogs they sure show it in an interesting way…
@Viva, totally agree and was coming here to say the same thing. I have never understood why anyone would think it was a good thing to mutilate puppies’ ears and tails. Where I live, Animal Control even cuts notches in the ears of feral cats that have been spayed or neutered. What possible reasoning could justify such a thing?
The ear notching of feral cats is the humans can recognize a cat that has already been spayed or neutered. It saves time and effort for the humans, and is less stressful for the cat because the humans can see they’ve already neutered it without having to handle the cat.
Tipping feral cats is done because ferals are released back into the wild and this identifies them as already fixed. That way they aren’t continually trapped and brought in for unnecessary surgery. It is done while the cat is under anesthesia for spaying or neutering.
The AKC does not see the breed standards. Each national breed club writes and amends as necessary its own standards. So right off the bat, PETA’s claim was shaky. And as the judge correctly noted, PETA has a standing problem. No easily cognizable direct or indirect harm has flowed to PETA as a result of these breed standards, especially since PETA does not operate any shelters or rescues and has a history of euthanizing virtually all animals surrendered to it.
I will beat this drum until I die: adopt OR shop RESPONSIBLY. Not everyone is cut out to rehome and rehabilitate a rescue or shelter dog. That does not mean they should never own pets or be shamed for buying a pet. Some people can be excellent owners by buying a well bred dog with a desired temperament from a reputable breeder who provides lifetime support and assistance.
Moreover, very few people are willing to acknowledge that some of the biggest supporters of rescues and shelters are conscientious breeders whose dogs will NEVER end up in their care. But because they love their breeds and care about dogs, they often step up to be a safety net for the dogs that are whelped by irresponsible, uncaring idiots.
Finally, demanding that people adopt instead of shop effectively rewards people who don’t care what happens to their dogs. The overwhelming majority of dogs in rescues/shelters are surrendered by irresponsible owners. Responsible breeders (in fact, all AKC club member breeders) have a provision in their sales contracts mandating that their dogs NEVER be surrendered to a rescue or shelter. If the owners cannot or will not take care of the dogs, they must be returned to the breeder no matter when, no matter why. Only irresponsible producers who whelp puppies principally for profit would ever allow dogs to end up in a rescue or shelter.
Not sure about the others but Bulldogs and Frenchies have definitely evolved in the US. Looking back ~40-50 yrs they had longer noses and were healthier. I do kinda blame AKC for not holding the standard back then.
While I would love to adopt, the shelters near me are 95% pit bull and while I love them, it would be irresponsible to bring one into a city env with kids and other dogs around as they generally come from horrendous puppy farms etc. My family gets pure breds (standard poodle, bouvier) from responsible breeders bc we know what we’re getting. To each their own. NEVER get random dog from pet store and do your research on breeds people!