Fledermaus
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In the last couple of days there has been discussion about what makes a "legitimate" breeder of dogs.
The same legitimate breeders that bring us the French Bulldog. An animal that cannot even breed normally (due to hindquarters issues). It also has to be cut out of its mother rather than natural birth. A number of other breeds have been bred so they no longer whelp normally. Most bulldogs for examples. Even certain Chihuahuas. Pugs have been breed for the flat face and bug eyes. Both prone to infection and other issues. The dogs have often been inbred for generations... Leading to all kinds of issues. Among them cancer, respiratory diseases, blindness, and heart problems.
With its sweet and loving disposition, combined with silky fur and elegantly droopy ears, the Cavalier King Charles spaniel is a popular breed—with families paying hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars per puppy. Unfortunately, though, it is almost certain that their pet will also come with genetic disorders.
By age five, for example, half of all Cavaliers will develop mitral valve disease, a serious heart condition that leaves the dogs susceptible to premature death. By the same age, up to 70 percent will suffer from canine syringomyelia, a debilitating neurological disorder in which the brain is too large for the skull, causing severe pain in the neck and shoulders, along with damage to parts of the dog’s spinal cord. And although Cavaliers may be a particularly obvious case of purebreds with problems, they aren’t alone. Most purebred dogs today are at a high risk for numerous inherited diseases. Why did this happen—and what can be done about it?
https://www.scientificamerican.com/...can-be-best-in-show-are-they-worst-in-health/
So I ask... Are "Legitimate" breeders of the genetic abominations also ethical?
The same legitimate breeders that bring us the French Bulldog. An animal that cannot even breed normally (due to hindquarters issues). It also has to be cut out of its mother rather than natural birth. A number of other breeds have been bred so they no longer whelp normally. Most bulldogs for examples. Even certain Chihuahuas. Pugs have been breed for the flat face and bug eyes. Both prone to infection and other issues. The dogs have often been inbred for generations... Leading to all kinds of issues. Among them cancer, respiratory diseases, blindness, and heart problems.
With its sweet and loving disposition, combined with silky fur and elegantly droopy ears, the Cavalier King Charles spaniel is a popular breed—with families paying hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars per puppy. Unfortunately, though, it is almost certain that their pet will also come with genetic disorders.
By age five, for example, half of all Cavaliers will develop mitral valve disease, a serious heart condition that leaves the dogs susceptible to premature death. By the same age, up to 70 percent will suffer from canine syringomyelia, a debilitating neurological disorder in which the brain is too large for the skull, causing severe pain in the neck and shoulders, along with damage to parts of the dog’s spinal cord. And although Cavaliers may be a particularly obvious case of purebreds with problems, they aren’t alone. Most purebred dogs today are at a high risk for numerous inherited diseases. Why did this happen—and what can be done about it?
https://www.scientificamerican.com/...can-be-best-in-show-are-they-worst-in-health/
So I ask... Are "Legitimate" breeders of the genetic abominations also ethical?