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Westminster Dog Show to Face Flack From PETA Over Flat-Faced Dog Breeds
On Wednesday—the final day of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show—a pack of PETA supporters will cause a ruckus at a busy intersection in downtown Tarrytown to demand that the American Kennel Club (AKC) disqualify pugs, Pekinese, French bulldogs, and other brachycephalic breeds from the competition. They’ll point out that the AKC’s grotesque standards encourage breeding for physical deformities, which cause immense suffering for vulnerable flat-faced dogs.
When: Wednesday, June 22, 12 noon
Where: At the intersection of Broadway and Main Street, Tarrytown
The group also sent a letter today to Westminster Kennel Club Show Chair David Helming, citing a veterinary study that found that some of these breeds can no longer be classified as “normal dogs”—due to their health irregularities—and a recent court ruling in Norway that established a precedent for the recognition that they suffer severely and should no longer be bred.
“The AKC needs to answer for its role in creating scores of dogs who can’t chase a ball without wheezing for air,” says PETA Senior Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch. “PETA is calling on this organization to keep flat-faced breeds out of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show and encourages everyone to avoid this superficial breeding fiasco and adopt animals from shelters.”
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview.
For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
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Westminster Dog Show Faces Flack From PETA Over Flat-Faced Breeds
Ahead of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, PETA sent a letter today to Show Chair David Helming calling on the American Kennel Club (AKC) to disqualify pugs, Pekinese, French bulldogs, and other brachycephalic breeds from the competition. The group points out that the AKC’s grotesque standards encourage breeding for physical deformities for vulnerable flat-faced dogs and cites a veterinary study that found that some of these breeds can no longer be classified as “normal dogs” due to their health irregularities and a recent court ruling in Norway that established a precedent for the recognition that these dogs suffer severely and should no longer be bred for humans to accumulate accolades.
“The AKC needs to answer for its role in creating scores of dogs who can’t chase a ball without wheezing for air,” says PETA Senior Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch. “PETA is calling on this organization to keep flat-faced breeds out of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show and encourages everyone to avoid this superficial breeding fiasco and adopt animals from shelters.”
A pack of PETA supporters will also gather at a busy intersection in downtown Tarrytown, New York, on Wednesday, the final day of the event, to urge organizers to keep flat-faced dogs off the podium and out of future competitions.
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
PETA’s letter to Helming follows.
June 17, 2022
David A. Helming
Show Chair
Westminster Kennel Club
111 Broadway, Ste. 805
New York, NY 10006
Dear Mr. Helming:
I’m writing to request that you remove brachycephalic breeds, including but not limited to pugs, Pekingese, English bulldogs, French bulldogs, and Cavalier King Charles spaniels, from the 2022 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
Many bulldogs, pugs, Pekingese, and other flat-faced breeds can barely breathe—let alone go for a walk or chase a ball—without gasping for air, because they have been bred to have unnaturally shortened airways. This unnatural process results in enormous suffering, hefty veterinary bills, and heartbreak for dog guardians, as you must know.
A recent study conducted by the Royal Veterinary College found that “the Pug has now diverged to such an extent from mainstream dog breeds that it can no longer be considered as a typical dog from a health perspective.” Dr. Dan G. O’Neill, lead author of the study, concluded, “It is time now that we focus on the health of the dog rather than the whims of the owner.”
Earlier this year, a court in Norway ruled that the breeding of brachycephalic dogs is cruel and results in human-created health problems. Following the ruling, veterinarian Dr. Scott Miller said, “All kennel clubs have to take responsibility that they set those breeding standards, and those standards have become so insane that these dogs are struggling. They’re in pain, they’re uncomfortable and in a lot of cases, they need surgical correction to be normal.”
Of course, adopting a homeless dog is far more considerate than breeding a new dog. But removing breeds prone to deformity and suffering from this highly publicized event is the least that the Westminster Kennel Club could do. We ask for your consideration, for dogs’ sake.
Very truly yours,
Ingrid Newkirk
President
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PETA and Formerly Chained Pups to Meet With Legislators on State Government Mall
On Tuesday morning, PETA will be on the State Government Mall to meet with legislators and introduce them to some of the dogs the group has rescued from backyards where they were kept chained 24/7. PETA will talk to legislators about animal protection legislation such as HB 1116 (the Fiona Mae Wagglebottom’s Act), which would prohibit keeping dogs tethered outside during extreme weather or when temperatures are below 32 or above 85 degrees.
When: Tuesday, June 21, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Where: Between the legislative building and legislative offices, 16 W. Jones St., Raleigh
Dogs in attendance on Tuesday will include Sharon, whose story is told in The Washington Post Magazine’s recent profile on the plight of dogs kept tethered or penned outdoors 24/7 in North Carolina, without companionship, relief from the hot sun or the bitter cold, or basic veterinary care. PETA works to provide thousands of them with low- or no-cost spaying/neutering, sturdy wooden doghouses, flea prevention, deworming medication, food, treats, and toys—and, when possible, gives them a chance at a new life. Sharon was adopted by a PETA fieldworker who visited her regularly when she was kept chained and neglected, and she now enjoys the comforts of life as an indoor dog with a family that includes other PETA adoptees.
“Across North Carolina, dogs are tied up like old bicycles, panting in the summer and shivering in the winter, desperate for someone to rescue them,” says PETA Senior Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch. “PETA looks forward to meeting with legislators and discussing how we can work together to help vulnerable animals throughout the Tar Heel State.”
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
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TeachKind Hosts ‘Meet the Author’ Events With Stewart Mitchell, Author of ‘Liberation Summer’
Just before summer break, students across the New York City area got a taste of animal liberation. TeachKind—PETA’s humane education division—organized “Meet the Author” events at five elementary schools with Stewart Mitchell, author of Liberation Summer.
Stewart, also known as “Vigilante Vegan,” is an animal and human rights activist who shares his story of going vegan and inspires students to make the world a better place for animals. He visited schools in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Long Island, and Queens to speak about the book, being vegan, and how the kids can help animals. Prior to each event, TeachKind donated copies of Liberation Summer to the school’s fifth graders.
Based on Mitchell’s own experiences, Liberation Summer tells the story of a Black teen named Jayden who gets a job at a fast-food chicken restaurant, learns about the cruel treatment of chickens in the meat industry, and decides to go vegan and advocate for animal liberation. The book emphasizes the importance of having empathy for others, including animals.
Following the talks, he autographed copies of his book for the kids and even had them sign his copy as well! Every student at these events also received a free vegan chicken sandwich or wrap to try from local vegan businesses The Happy Pig food truck and Spring Cafe. Many students’ negative views about vegan food changed dramatically after they tried the delicious food provided at the event. Now they give it a thumbs-up.
Each school used TeachKind’s free lessons to help the kids better understand the story’s theme. Teachers loved seeing how excited their students were about reading Liberation Summer. Many said that their students were riveted by the story and didn’t even wait to read it as a class because they couldn’t put the book down after reading just a few pages. All the schools were thrilled to have students read Liberation Summer, meet the author, and try vegan food—exposing them to a different perspective, which is what education is all about. Here’s what one principal had to say:
If you’re an educator who’s interested in obtaining more information about this event, please e-mail TeachKind at Info@teachkind.org and follow us on Instagram and Facebook:
For more resources that foster empathy and motivate students academically, check out TeachKind’s Rescue Stories. A groundbreaking study found that students who read these stories performed significantly better in reading comprehension on Common Core–aligned tests.
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