They can suffer from wheezing and struggling to breathe – and the new Companion Animal Protection Ordinance in Ojai, means the breeding of breathing impaired cats and dogs, like French bulldogs and Persian cats is banned.
“For so many of these animals, breathing through their nose is like trying to suck in air through a tiny straw,” explained Jakob Shaw, the manager of strategic initiatives at PETA.
The animal welfare organization welcomed the new law.
“Breeders are deliberately selecting for unhealthy and harmful traits in order to breed dogs with these unnatural features like the flat, smushed faces and corkscrew tails that French bulldogs have. This ordinance prevents breeders from purposefully breeding dogs to have bodies that don’t work,” said Shaw.
“I’m thrilled that Ojai is setting a new national standard for protecting dogs and cats from being bred to suffer. Our companion animals are cherished members of our families and our communities, so I hope that this inspires other cities around the country to adopt Companion Animal Protection Ordinances of their own,” said Ojai Mayor Betsy Stix.
A recent study revealed that some of the most common Breathing Impaired canines have the shortest life expectancies of companion dog breeds. Shaw said that French bulldogs – who have been the most popular dog in the U.S. for the past two years – have an especially low life expectancy of only 4.5 years due in large part to their deformed, smushed-in faces. A number of countries—including Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, and Norway—have banned or restricted the breeding of some or all BIBs.
Ojai City Council has previously passed ordinances recognizing the bodily rights of elephants and banning the use and sale of glue traps for rodents.
Source: KCLU
The Pet Advocacy Network has released this media statement opposing the ban:
On Tuesday night, Ojai Mayor Betsy Stix and the Ojai City Council in California voted to adopt a misguided new law—the Companion Animal Protection Ordinance—making it the first city to ban the breeding of a wide range of cherished dog and cat breeds.
Concerningly, the Council ignored input from citizens who spoke out against the bill at a public hearing earlier this month and didn’t appear to consult any experts with real-life experience breeding pets. Instead, the Council took months of input from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which has argued against breeding and pet ownership entirely, saying, “it would have been in the animals’ best interests if the institution of ‘pet keeping’—i.e., breeding animals to be kept and regarded as ‘pets’—never existed.”
The sweeping legislation outlines 19 different categories of “congenital anatomical features”—ranging from “excessive skin folds” to certain snout lengths—as grounds for a ban. Impacted breeds include beloved French Bulldogs, Pugs, Dachshunds, Corgis, Shar-Peis, Mastiffs, Persian cats, and more.
The Pet Advocacy Network (PAN), which advocates for the responsible pet care community at all levels of government, is speaking out against the law, characterizing it as an attempt to ban purebred dogs in general.
“This law is an outrageous overreach that insults responsible pet owners and breeders and takes away their freedom to choose their ideal cat or dog,” said Mike Bober, president and CEO of PAN. “The legislation flies in the face of veterinary science showing that these breeds lead happy, healthy lives with loving families when bred responsibly.
“Historical records show some of these species, including Shar-Peis and Tibetan Mastiffs, are ancient breeds that have existed in their current form for thousands of years,” he added. “We should celebrate these incredible animals, not outlaw them.”
About the Pet Advocacy Network
The Pet Advocacy Network connects the experience and expertise of the responsible pet care community to lawmakers and governing bodies, advocating for legislative and regulatory priorities at the local, state, federal and international levels. Since 1971, the organization has worked to promote animal well-being and responsible pet ownership, foster environmental stewardship, and ensure access to healthy pets, including small animals, cats, dogs, fish, reptiles, and birds. Pet Advocacy Network members include retailers, companion animal suppliers, manufacturers, wholesale distributors, manufacturers’ representatives, pet hobbyists, and other trade organizations. To learn more, visit www.PetAdvocacy.org.
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