Breeding disgrace; EXPERT DEMANDS BEEB AXE CRUFTS.

Byline: By RAYMOND HAINEY

A SCOTS animal cruelty expert yesterday demanded the BBC axe coverage of the Crufts dog show.

Mike Flynn, of the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, spoke out after Panorama's expose of the horrific health problems suffered by pedigrees as a result of in-breeding.

The documentary, screened on Friday, revealed many have life-threatening brain conditions, epilepsy, heart murmurs and cancers.

The BBC has shown highlights from Crufts for 42 years but Flynn demanded they pull out unless breeders' body The Kennel Club do more to stop in-breeding.

The SSPCA chief superintendent said: "The BBC stopping showing Crufts would stop the perpetuation of these deformed dogs as some sort of ideal standard.

"The fewer of these kinds of dogs which are bred the better. But a dog which wins Crufts automatically becomes attractive, demand soars and people will breed them.

"Selectively breeding to achieve a particular standard is totally wrong."

Many of Britain's five million pedigree dogs are at risk due to breeders striving for the "perfect" dog.

Methods include line breeding, where siblings are mated to accentuate desirable characteristics - a practice banned in many countries.

It is believed Pugs are now so inbred that while there are 10,000 in Britain, their DNA could come from just 50.

The 2003 Crufts winner Danny - a Pekingese owned by Scot Bert Easdon - needed surgery to help it breathe.

Easdon, who breeds dogs near Moffat, Dumfries-shire, refused to comment.

Dog owner Lindsey McQuarrie, 28, was devastated to discover her beloved British bulldog pup has a genetic disease.

The hairdresser, of Glasgow, paid pounds 1800 for Izzie but within six weeks she was diagnosed with hemivertebrae, a spinal problem which means she struggles to walk and can never have pups.

Lindsey, who has a four-year-old daughter, Sophie, said: "The condition is hereditary.

She can only deteriorate.

"If she worsens we'll have no option but to put her to sleep.

"She is Kennel Club registered and the breeder assured me she was healthy."

In Pedigree Dogs Exposed, RSPCA chief vet Mark Evans said: "When I watch Crufts, I see a parade of mutants. It's some freakish beauty pageant that has nothing to do with health and welfare."

Kennel Club chairman Ronnie Irving branded questions on the programme "biased".

He added: "We have worked consistently to explain our point of view on caninehealth, describing the vast amount of time, effort and money the majority of breeders put into breeding healthy dogs."

CONDEMNED TO SUFFER

RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK

Prone to a rare form of deafness they also have a neural defect of the spine which causes abscesses and a painful death.

CAVALIER KING CHARLES SPANIEL 

A third suffer agony because breeding has made their skulls too small for their brains.

BRITISH BULLDOG

Malformed spines can lead to paralysis if jarred. The problem arose as breeders tried to achieve the distinctive screw tail and deformed the vertebrae.

GERMAN SHEPHERD

Prone to hip and elbow dysplasia. The bones do not fit the sockets, leading to lameness and osteoarthritis.

ST BERNARD

Their bulk can cause enlarged, weakened hearts. This is also seen in other big dogs such as Great Danes and Irish Wolfhounds. It also hits the lungs and liver and is eventually fatal.

SUNDAY EMAIL 

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CAPTION(S):

Distraught: Lindsey, Sophie and Izzie; Poor show: Animal welfare experts claim Crufts encourages in-breeding; Ban call: Mike Flynn; Rogue gene: Ridgebacks have ear and spine defects