Hope Rescue is urging the puppy-buying public to avoid buying dogs with extreme features, after a total of 38 French Bulldogs have been signed over to them from Cardiff City Council after they were awarded ownership of the dogs as part of a seizure under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
The dogs had been bred for exaggerated features such as thick nose ropes, fluffy coats, and their desirable colouring, without any care for the impact this had on their health.
Operations Manager, Sara Rosser, explains the condition of the dogs on arrival, “Many of the dogs were suffering from issues with their eyes and breathing, as a result of this type of extreme breeding. One dog had such a large nose rope that it was causing irritation to his eyes and restricting his breathing. He needed urgent surgery to remove the nose rope and open up his severely narrowed nostrils. Many of the young dogs also had cherry eye which need surgical repair”.
The details of the seizure are part of an ongoing prosecution case which included a litter of young puppies, and a heavily pregnant female, called Nana, who later gave birth in the comfort of a foster home.
Sara continues, “It was a huge challenge finding space for this many dogs at the same time, and we are extremely grateful to our wonderful foster families for all their support.
“Once again, we would urge the puppy buying public to think twice before buying dogs with extreme features, as this only fuels the demand for rogue breeders and a lifetime of suffering for these poor dogs. Rescues are inundated with French bulldogs at the moment so, if you can’t source your dog from a rescue centre, then please think instead of purchasing a healthier breed from a reputable source.”
Hope Rescue is committed to helping local authorities to close down puppy farms and low welfare breeders. If you are aware of anyone breeding illegally, or in low welfare conditions, please do ensure you report it to your local authority licensing team or Animal Licensing Wales.
Whilst it will now cost around £5,000 to prepare these dogs for adoption, we will always prioritise helping Local Authorities with seizing dogs from low welfare situations.