Ojai, Southern California, voted in October 2024 to adopt a law prohibiting breeding of dogs and cats with certain anatomical features likely to harm the animal or its offspring’s welfare.

The measure landed as questions about the ethics and costs of breeding flat-faced, or brachycephalic, dogs have intensified. These breeds, such as French Bulldogs, English Bulldogs, and Pugs, face significantly elevated long-term health risks due to selective breeding for shortened skulls, including brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS), which has been shown to increase the risk of respiratory disorders up to 17 times higher than that of other breeds. Critics and veterinarians point to chronic breathing problems, repeated surgeries and heartbreaking outcomes that, they say, arise from breeding for extreme physical traits.

Two cases highlighted in recent coverage put the issue in stark relief. One involved a 3-year-old female French bulldog described as having a partial duplication of her back end — three back legs and two vulvae — whose bone marrow was failing with no circulating white blood cells; she had to be spayed despite a high risk of infection. Another involved a young English bulldog that regurgitated and aspirated after corrective surgery for brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome and died during recovery from anesthesia.

The debate has drawn lawmakers and academics into the conversation. Ellen Read, a State Representative from New Hampshire, is named in reporting alongside veterinary experts such as Dan O’Neill, a professor at the Royal Veterinary College, reflecting the cross-sector interest in whether breeding rules should change. Many are calling for tighter regulations, especially given that several EU countries have already implemented breeder registration mandates, licensing requirements, and regular inspections to uphold welfare standards and traceability.

The Washington Post column framing the debate used trenchant language: it described some practices as ‘torture breeding’ and warned about ‘extreme conformational traits.’ The piece also noted ‘a common story is the owner who bought one of the smallest and calmest dogs in the litter, attracted by its cuteness or temperament, without an understanding that its small size and quiet nature reflected an underlying congenital problem.’

Local action in Ojai joins regulatory moves and proposals elsewhere. The European Parliament has proposed a ban on breeding dogs or cats with excessive conformational traits, part of a broader push in some countries to curtail practices that produce animals with predictable, severe health problems; advocacy groups have marked those developments as significant shifts for policy and practice. Notably, French Bulldogs, now the most popular breed registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC) since 2022, have surpassed the long-dominant Labrador Retriever in the United States, highlighting the increasing demand for such breeds. Brachycephalic dog registration slump ‘encouraging’, but ‘more work still needed.’

Veterinarians and animal-welfare advocates say the consequences of extreme conformation can be lifelong. In reporting that prompted the local ordinance, the Washington Post highlighted recurring veterinary burdens: dogs that cannot breathe properly, regurgitate food, suffer skin and eye problems, have trouble with urination or defecation, or display neurological abnormalities. Moreover, the financial toll on owners can be substantial due to repeated surgeries and ongoing medical care.

Supporters of tighter controls point to both animal suffering and mounting costs for owners who must pay for repeated surgeries and intensive care. Opponents of restrictions argue for breeder rights and preservation of breed standards; that debate has informed recent legislative proposals, including a bill introduced last year that would ban breeding and sale of brachycephalic dogs and cats.

In Ojai, the October 2024 vote establishes local legal authority to prohibit breeding on specified anatomical grounds. The measure forms part of an incremental shift toward legal limits on breeding practices for certain conformations, following previous actions such as a 2023 ban on breeding Cavalier King Charles spaniels in another jurisdiction.

Where the issue goes next may hinge on whether other municipalities adopt similar rules or whether state and national bodies choose to legislate. For now, Ojai’s decision stands as a concrete local step and part of a growing policy conversation about how to balance popular demand for certain dog appearances with animal health and welfare.

Source

Original reporting: view the original article.