Netherlands to ban flat-faced dogs, cats with folded ears
due to ‘miserable’ health conditions
The Dutch National Government is proposing a ban on dogs
with flat faces and cats with folded ears, as well as animals that suffer from
serious health problems as a result of their appearance.
“We make life miserable for innocent animals solely
because we think they are ‘beautiful’ and ‘cute,'” Dutch Agriculture
Minister Piet Adema said last Friday in a statement.
Officials are working on a list of animals that could be
banned in the Netherlands, as well as possibly prohibiting the sharing of
images of these types of pets on social media in order to discourage the
popularization of the breed due to its appealing appearance.
Pet owners who already have pets with flat faces or folded
ears will be permitted to keep them until they die.
The specifics of the ban have yet to be determined, but
Dutch government officials wanted to inform the public that a ban is on the way
and that anyone considering purchasing a new pet should keep this in mind.
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Health issues with flat-faced dogs
According to Blue Cross, a national organization that
promotes responsible pet ownership in the United Kingdom, dogs with flat faces
are brachycephalic.
“Brachycephalic dogs have a muzzle that appears to be
flattened or squashed inwards. Their lower jaw is disproportionately longer
than their upper jaw, and the dog may appear to have a protruding lower jaw
“According to the website.
French bulldogs, English bulldogs, Boston terriers, pugs,
Cavalier King Charles spaniels, shih tzus, and boxers are common breeds for
these types of pets.
While many dogs with shorter snouts are healthy, many more
suffer from various conditions as a result of their cute appearance.
Many brachycephalic dogs have issues with breathing, heart
health, teeth, skin and ear infections, and eye infections, and can have difficulty
breeding. They may also experience neurological problems.
A Royal Veterinary College (RVC) study published in 2020
discovered that flat-faced dogs are 1.3 times more likely than crossbreds to be
diagnosed with at least one disorder in a single year.
Scottish Fold cats
FILE – A Scottish Fold Grey breed cat is judged on May 04,
2019, in London, England, at the LondonCats International Show and Expo at
Tabacco Dock. (Getty Images/John Keeble)
According to the RSPCA in Australia, cats with folded ears
belong to the Scottish Fold breed of domesticated felines.
While this cat breed has grown in popularity in the United
States, its folded ears are the result of a genetic mutation.
“This inherited cartilage defect (also known as
Scottish Fold disease or osteochondrodysplasia) causes other deformities
throughout the body and is a dominant trait, which means that all kittens in
the litter will be affected,” according to the RSPCA.
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Despite attempts to cross-breed this type of cat in the
hopes of producing a healthier pet, researchers discovered that the crippling
deformities remained.
Signs of the defect can appear all over the cat’s body, not
just in its ears. Arthritis, thick and inflexible tails, spinal issues, and
short and stiff legs are all examples of serious abnormalities.
Even the cat’s behavior can be affected, such as a
reluctance to engage in “normal” cat activities like jumping, and it
may develop an abnormal gait. As a result of the disease, some cats have become
completely crippled.
Some cats with Scottish Fold disease may develop physical
impairments that reduce their quality of life to the point where they must be
euthanized.
“This condition can be avoided by not breeding from
cats with folded ears. This disease affects all Scottish Fold cats with folded
ears “The RSPCA says.
