They urged budding pet owners to conduct thorough research before considering buying from breeders
The Scottish SPCA has warned pet owners to be vigilant of dodgy breeders following a BBC documentary exploring extreme dog breeding.
Alarmingly, Ian Futter, chief veterinary officer, says that dogs have now been bred to such extreme proportions that "it would be virtually impossible in many cases to eliminate such exaggerated features by outbreeding" because "there are no animals in that breed left with normal copies of the right genes".
“We also know that breeding for a merle pattern in the coat of the animal can cause even more issues as this coat colour is linked to both blindness and deafness in dogs depending on how the gene is inherited. “Dogs who are bred to have exaggerated features such as very short legs can suffer from incredibly painful joint and spine problems. Not only are they likely to be in constant pain but their deformities will make it almost impossible for them to express natural behaviours."
He also advised them not to pay over the odds for animals that may look aesthetically pleasing but may be actually at extreme risk of poor health and even death down the road.
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