APGAW Tool Flags Dog Breeds To Be Banned, Putting Owners on Alert
A new assessment tool from the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare could put 67 dog breeds at risk of legal restrictions or bans, including the late Queen’s Corgis. Wednesday at 10: 00 a. m. ET — the move matters because the tool’s checklist targets extreme physical traits linked to chronic pain and breathing problems.
All-Party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare’s 10-point checklist
The assessment tool launched by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare outlines a 10-point checklist of “extreme physical characteristics” that may compromise a dog’s health and wellbeing. The checklist names traits such as short noses and flat faces, excessive skin folds, drooping eyelids, mottled colouring, and bulging or outward-turning eyes; the group links those features to medical problems that can cause chronic pain and breathing difficulties.
Dog Breeds To Be Banned: 67 UK breeds flagged, including Corgis
Sixty-seven dog breeds could potentially be banned in Britain under the new parliamentary guidelines, with the late Queen’s beloved Corgis among those named as at risk. The assessment also raises concerns about breeds with shortened legs, naming the Dachshund and highlighting risks of spinal deformities and joint problems. The guidelines are currently voluntary but are expected to become law within the next five years.
Beverley Cuddy Warns of ‘Blunt Tool’ Effects on Popular Breeds
Critics warn the criteria may act as a “blunt tool, ” potentially labelling many popular breeds as inherently unhealthy; campaigners say as many as 67 of the UK’s most common dog breeds could automatically fall under the classification. Beverley Cuddy, founder of the Union of Good Dog People, said: “We need proper, nuanced tests that don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater or we’re going to lose Britain’s most beloved breeds in the blink of an eye. ” She added: “It’s going to be the most shocking thing to happen to dog lovers in this country. People will rightly be outraged at being told they can’t have the dogs they want. It’s madness. I think the late Queen would have been very upset by this proposal. ” Headlines have also referenced broader public reaction, including a warning from Jeremy Clarkson that framed the debate around a political fight over dogs.
For owners and breeders, the assessment tool specifically links identifiable physical traits to health harms, and the push could produce a list of dog breeds to be banned if the voluntary guidelines are converted into law. Veterinarians and animal welfare groups are cited as raising concerns about breeding practices that prioritise appearance over health.
Clarity on whether the guidelines become binding is expected within the next five years; stakeholders say a legal decision on the guidelines is likely within that timeframe.
