Crufts and animal rights activists

Today marks the start of the biggest and best (IMO ) dog show in the world. Crufts!!

There is a lot of controversy surrounding this years show, due in no small part to a BBC 'documentary' about pedigree dogs and pedigree dog breeders. The documentary was, again imo, very one sided, poorly produced and appalingly damaging to all dog breeds in the UK. The documentrary investigated dog breeders, who bred dogs with genetic defects, but instead of balancing this with the breeders who work tirelessly to eradicate the same genetic defects, it left the viewer thinking that ALL breeders are the same. they are not. Yes, there are bad breeders, there is no avoiding that fact, but there are also a huge number who do their damndest to improve the breeds they are involved in.

Now, as a result of this show, the BBC then withdrew its coverage of Crufts on TV. No great loss in some peoples eyes, they used to be a right royal pita, spooking the dogs and getting under everyones feet!!

Also as a result of the programme, animal rights activists have threatened to sabotage the show, by releasing dogs from their benches and crates. These people claim to love and care about animals so much that they will do anything to protect them. In which case why on earth release dogs? What happens to the poor ruddy dog? It gets scared, lost, possibly escape from the building and onto the many busy roads and get killed. All of which is in the dogs best interests how exactly? In the same way as some years ago the same type of people released mink into the wild from mink farms. The mink were fine, they were free, however as they were not native to the UK they did immense damage regionally to many species of native animals.

I have no problem in the main with animal rights campaigners and activists. But the actions of a few do so much damage. they do not protect or support the wellbeing of the animals,instead cause immense damage and suffering. In the same way that a minority of breeders are rogues so a minority of animal rights campaigners are rogues. Please do not paint all breeders as evil animal torturers and don't paint all animal rights activists as manical idiots who cause damage and suffering to the animals. Its just a minority

However saying that, both breeders and animal rights campaigners need to weed out the rogue elements within their own ranks. Breeders and in particular the Kennel Club need to insist on only healthy dogs being used for breeding. The Kennel Club needs to stop registering pups that are not screened and proved healthy. that would go a long way towards helping solve the problem. Campaigners need to weed out the extremists, refuse to be associated with them, and iof they know they have broken the law report them. Maybe then all parties involved would realise they are actually singing from the smae song sheet!!!