Wiesbaden. Some people select in breeding pets according to characteristics that look special or exceptional or are just fashionable. However, an extreme training or over -typing of certain characteristics planned for breeding or accidentally created can lead to problems relevant to animal welfare. “Then one speaks of agony, defect breeding or extreme breeding,” explains Dr. Stefan Hetz, graduate biologist and scientific specialist for pets at the Central Association of Zoological Specialist EV (ZZF).
The ZZF explains how a breed can be prevented, which leads to pain, suffering or damage in pets or their descendants on its new German and English-speaking campaign page www. Qual breeding. In videos, Dr. Rush to which breeding features breeders and animal lovers should pay attention to.
Examples of breeding characteristics that can severely restrict animals in their well-being are large, rounded heads and short pine and nose bones, which in dogs increasingly lead to shortness of breath, difficulty swallowing and sleep problems. Cats with folding ears have a genetic defect that goes hand in hand with severe cartilage and bone damage throughout the body.
Fish without back fins or with extremely updated tail fins are no longer moving. Certain color morphs of reptiles show a greatly increased risk of cancer or show neurological damage.
Studies on agonizing characteristics required
The Association of the ZZF pet industry sees the prevention of agony but also politics: “There are legal requirements for agony in the law on the European Convention on the Protection of Pote, in the German Animal Welfare Act and in the expert opinion published in 1999 on §11b Animal Welfare Act.
But the definition of agony characteristics of individual breeds and species is too unconcrete and therefore repeatedly leads to delimitation problems, “says ZZF President Norbert Holthenrich.” We need a nationwide list of criteria created on scientific basis, which enables veterinarians, authorities, breeding and animal-keeping, to assess the quality of the agony “,” Holthenrich warns.
What can animal owners do?
- In the opinion on the Animal Welfare Act, some forms of agony are already described. If a breed or a morphs have been shown to have a bad genetic basis, animal lovers should not support the breeding of these animals.
- Attention among prominent personalities: Animal lovers should not follow trends and keep animals with extreme breeding characteristics just because celebrities present themselves with them.
- Serious breeders are open to health certificates and breeding goals.
- Pet owners can help with the information about extreme breeding and share the videos of the ZZF.
When breeding, the health of the animals should come first: “The variety of pets is fascinating. Animal lovers can discover exciting pets even without extreme breeding,” Norbert Holthenrich is certain.
Who is the ZZF?
The Central Association of Zoological Specialists EV (ZZF) represents the professional, economic and political interests of the entire German pet industry. The members of the association of the pet industry include companies and system centers of the pet trade, wholesale company, breeder, pet nurse in the salon and manufacturer of pet needs.