Banned for a year, but short dogs are still bred: ‘I’m not doing anything wrong’

The ban came into effect last August. The rules came about because dogs with short noses have many health problems, such as chronic lack of oxygen. But that’s not the only thing. Pugs, among others, also suffer from bulging eyes and bad teeth.

‘significant European ban‘

Now, a year later, the breeding of the dogs seems to continue – despite the strict law, inspections by inspectors and more taxes. During a visit, RTL Nieuws came across more than ten places scattered throughout the country where the animals are still being bred.

Kelly Kessen, a veterinarian at the animal welfare group Dier & Recht, is advocating for a European ban on dog breeding. “What we see happening now, for example, is that breeders get the dogs in Belgium, where they are still allowed to be bred, and then sell them here . Because it’s still allowed to keep, buy and sell the dogs. It’s just a breeding ban.”

During our tour of dog breeding farms, we also came across places where breeding takes place according to the rules. French Esther bulls are bred in a new style, which you can see in this video:

Breeders who still breed short pigeons responded differently to RTL News. Most did not want to say anything. Others said that they are under exception and that they are not doing anything wrong. A few said they were considering moving to Belgium because the rules are more flexible there.

Advertising on the market

“And that’s an important reason why these short dogs are still there,” Kessen said. “We and many other organizations and vets have been pointing out to consumers for years that dogs are in pain. And nobody wants a dog in pain, right? But people still “buying the dogs.”

It would be good, Kessen thinks, if there was a European breeding ban and also a purchase ban. “That really addresses the problem. If you look at Marktplaats now, you’ll see they’re still offering them en masse.”

What exactly does the ban mean?

Since last August it has been forbidden to breed dogs with short necks. If a breeder breaks the rules, a fine of 1,500 euros can follow.

The six criteria a short-nosed dog must meet:

• The animal should have normal breathing sounds while resting.

• The flies should be open.

• The ‘relative nasal shortening’ must be greater than or equal to 0.5. That number is calculated by dividing the length of the nose in centimeters by the length of the skull in centimeters.

• The dog may not have a nasal fold

• Whites should not be visible in the eyes. In dogs with short noses, the eye socket is too flat and shallow to adequately support the eyeball, causing the eyes to protrude and more of the white of the eye to be seen than in a healthy dog. .

• The dog must be able to close the eyelids completely so that the retina does not dry out and the eyes are protected from dirt and scratches.

Several veterinarians also told RTL News that they still come across dogs in practice. Also young puppies, bought after the ban. Vets say they often discuss this with their owners. “We are often told that they are such nice dogs,” says one of the vets.

‘lots in’

The veterinarian Hildeward Hoenderken also sees the dogs briefly in his practice. “There’s just a lot of foreign imports,” he says. “I feel the situation has only gotten worse. If you ban something in the Netherlands, you know it will continue out of sight and across the border.”

Hoenderken suspects that ‘many’ puppies are being brought to Holland illegally. “We are also seeing a lot of forged passports. There is a lot of concern about this among vets.” Hoenderken would also like to ban the sale of the animals.

Paul Mandigers, who is active as a director of the Royal Dutch Association for Veterinary Medicine, says that it is ‘absolutely idiotic’ that it is still so easy to get a dog with a short nose.

“What you see is that half of the short-nosed dogs now come from Russia. They can’t be imported directly, so they end up in Holland through a circuit, like example through Turkey,” said Mandigers.

‘You bring trouble to your home’

As long as there is demand, says Mandigers, the market will remain as it is now. “But personally I think that breeding short dogs is very wrong. As a breeder you know that you have breeding problems. And as a buyer you know that you are also just bringing home a dog that is causing problems.”

Mandigers wonders: “What right do you have as a person to do something like that to dogs? Along with many others, we are calling for this to stop.”