Pedigree Dogs ‘Being Bred to Death’

Decades of inbreeding is causing immense suffering for pedigree dogs, who are plagued by painful and deadly genetic diseases as a result of breeding for appearance, a UK investigation has found. The BBC documentary Pedigree Dogs Exposed (video), aired on ABC1 on Thursday, shows boxers suffering from epilepsy and spaniels with brains far too big for their skulls. Other painful disabilities and deformities, including poor gait and severe heart and respiratory problems, plague purebreds like west highland terriers, golden retrievers and german shepherds