‘We make life miserable for innocent animals’

ANP

NOS Nieuws•vandaag, 09:02

Minister Adema wants to take extra measures to further prevent the keeping of cats and dogs that suffer physically due to their appearance. He writes this in a letter to the House of Representatives.

Adema says that the subject affects him not only as a minister “but also as a person”. “We make life miserable for innocent animals just because we think they’re ‘beautiful’ and ‘cute’.”

These include pugs and cats with folded ears. The breeding of these animals was already banned in 2014, but the animals are still illegally traded and people have them as pets. Adema now also wants to ban the keeping and showing of such animals in the house.

“No pet should suffer from its appearance,” said Minister Adema. A so-called “holding ban” also automatically means a trade and import ban, according to the minister.

Gasp for breath

When getting a pet, many people tend to choose features they find cute, such as short-snouted dogs or furry-eared cats. “They have the best intentions, but often don’t know that animals can suffer permanently from these characteristics,” says Adema. For example, dogs with a too short muzzle have to constantly gasp for breath.

Veterinarians still see many dogs in their practice suffering from respiratory problems and other conditions due to their short muzzles. In 2014, a breeding ban was therefore already imposed for animals that are affected by their appearance. In 2019, specific rules were added for dogs with a short muzzle. Dogs with a muzzle shorter than half of their skull have since been banned from breeding.

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