Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps are being taken to tackle selective breeding of dogs for aesthetic reasons which cause health defects.
We have consulted on proposals to modernise dog breeding licensing legislation, including helping promote schemes which are accredited by the UK Accreditation Service. One scheme is the Kennel Club’s Assured Breeder Scheme which involves the Kennel Club working with breed societies in the development and application of tests to identify dogs that have genetic defects that can cause health problems.