When I was growing up, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) was the biggest stunt queen, sometimes most times to the point where the spectacle outshone the mission or any good intentions. But PETA seems to have recalibrated in a positive way as of late — dare I say, they’ve successfully adopted impact over quantity — and I was right on board with them last year when they ripped into Will & Kate for breeding their dog Orla. Not to mention the fact that Orla herself was bred by James Middleton. Adopt, don’t shop! And spay/neuter your pups! Well, around the same time they scolded the Waleses last summer, PETA filed a lawsuit against the American Kennel Club. PETA alleged that AKC’s breed standards for French bulldogs, bulldogs, pugs, dachshunds, and Chinese shar-peis led to unhealthy dog breeding. But a judge ruled this week, tossing out the case on technical grounds (that the specific law PETA cited didn’t apply here), without making any comments on the meat of the dog bone.
The animal rights group PETA’s lawsuit over the health of French bulldogs and some other popular dog breeds has been dismissed, with a judge saying a New York law was misapplied to the case.
The suit, filed last year, marked a new front in the PETA’s long-running campaign against dog breeders. The case accused the American Kennel Club of promulgating unhealthy “standards,” or ideals, for Frenchies — the nation’s most prevalent dog breed, by the club’s count — as well as bulldogs, Chinese shar-peis, dachshunds and pugs. The AKC, the nation’s oldest purebred dog registry, rejected the claims and said it prioritizes canine health.
Club President Gina DiNardo hailed the decision Tuesday.
“We remain focused on what matters most, the preservation of purebred dogs, advocating for all dogs and the people who care for them, and supporting the right of individuals and families to choose the dog that is right for their household,” she said in a statement.
PETA, also called People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said its lawyers were assessing any legal options.
“Money-grubbing dog merchants flood the market with deformed dogs bred at the AKC’s direction,” founder Ingrid Newkirk said in a statement. She urged people to adopt dogs from shelters instead of buying purebred pups: “No dog should be custom-made for a look that causes pain.”
The suit invoked a New York law that is generally used to challenge state and local government decisions, though it’s occasionally applied to private organizations. But those have been organizations with some authority over the people suing them, such as union members bringing complaints about their leadership or co-op apartment residents suing their building’s board, state Judge David B. Cohen said in a decision filed Monday.
Again, no judicial judgment was rendered on the substance of PETA’s claims: that the breed standards set by AKC lead to breeding for traits that result in serious health problems for the dogs. All that happened was the judge determined that PETA applied a law incorrectly, so there was no legal standing for the case to proceed. While I think PETA is highlighting a genuine truth — that historically, humans have bred dogs for certain aesthetic traits that are not healthy — I don’t know if there’s a way for PETA to win this in court. Can the AKC be held directly responsible for standards shared among many kennel clubs? Not that I’m defending them! And dog knows all that “purebred” language is nauseating. I just don’t know what the practical strategy is here. The best I can come up with is for each of us to make sure the people in our pack rescue instead of going to a breeder. There are sooooo many good floofs yearning for forever homes!
Photos credit: Amanda Valverde, David Kanigan, Jorge Zaldívar Marroquín, Thierry Rossier, Ronnyb Ronny and Sóc Năng Động on Pexels