By GMTV - 21 October 2008
Find out why having a dog could be good for your health
BBC suspends coverage of Crufts dog show after four decades
Crufts: the BBC set up an independent panel of experts to decide whether it should continue covering the dog show. Photograph: Getty
The BBC will not be showing the Crufts dog show next year for the first time in 40 years as it awaits the results of further investigations into the the health of pedigree dogs in the UK.
Today's decision follows the BBC1 documentary, Pedigree Dogs Exposed, shown in August, which claimed that intensive breeding of pedigree dogs had led to health problems in some breeds.
The BBC then set up an independent panel of experts to investigate whether it was appropriate for it to continue as the host broadcaster for the famous dog show.
Today the corporation said it was "not able to reach agreement [with the Kennel Club] about how to handle televising the so-called 'at-risk' breeds of pedigree dog" and therefore decided to suspend coverage of next year's event.
"We know that a lot of people will be disappointed that Crufts will not be on the BBC next year, said the controller of BBC Knowledge commissioning, George Entwistle.
"But we need to be confident the measures being taken now and planned for the future are effective in addressing the issues raised about the health of some pedigree dogs before we return to broadcasting the event."
The Kennel Club, which organises Crufts, said it has made changes to breed standards that will take effect in 2009 and continues to hold discussions with the BBC to monitor the effect of the changes.
In a strongly-worded Statement today the club said it had "refused to comply with the unreasonable demand insisted on by the BBC to exclude certain breeds of dog from the competition".
The BBC had asked that the 12 types of dog identified as "at risk" out of the total 209 registered UK breeds be excluded from the two categories that are broadcast in its Crufts coverage - the group competition and best in show. However, the Kennel Club refused.
"We are unable to agree to these demands, as it would compromise both contractual obligations and our general responsibility to dog exhibitors and our audience," said the Kennel Club chairman, Ronnie Irving.
"We believe it would be inappropriate and counterproductive to exclude any recognised breed from Crufts.
"We are obviously disappointed and confused with this outcome as we hoped the broadcast would have supported our focus on health and welfare issues, given advice about caring for and training dogs and showcased the charitable work that we support."
In September the Kennel Club formally logged a complaint with Ofcom over the documentary's "unfair treatment and editing and failure to fairly and properly reflect the Kennel Club's deep commitment to the health and welfare of dogs and responsible dog ownership".
The club introduced an ethics code for breeders in October and has also started an education scheme for judges.
Since the dispute with the BBC flared up, the Kennel Club has reportedly tried to offer the show, which pulls an average 3 million viewers for each of the four shows during the annual championship on BBC2, to ITV and Sky without success. The BBC has broadcast Crufts every year since 1966.
In September both the RSPCA and Dogs Trust said they were boycotting the show and the following month the pet food brand, Pedigree, pulled its Crufts sponsorship worth £500,000 a year.
Pedigree Dogs Exposed focused on the alleged congenital defects suffered by some breeds, including a King Charles spaniel with the neurological condition syringomyelia that occurs when a skull is too small for an animal's brain.
The BBC1 documentary also featured boxer dogs with epilepsy, pugs with breathing problems and bulldogs that could not mate or give birth naturally.
Pet food giant Pedigree has dropped its sponsorship of Crufts dog show after 44 years.
Sky News - 28th October 2008
The decision, which will cost organisers of the world's largest dog show a reported £1.5m a year, follows claims that dogs on the show suffer from genetic diseases after years of inbreeding.
TV adverts for Pedigree dog food carried the tag-line "top breeders recommend it" and regularly featured prize-winning dogs from the shows.
Crufts organiser the Kennel Club has been under fire since August after a BBC documentary claimed the dogs are riven with genetic problems as a result of breeding to develop physical traits needed by the club.
The programme showed spaniels with brains too big for their skulls and boxer dogs with epilepsy.
The RSPCA and welfare charity the Dogs Trust quickly severed links with the show in the wake of the claims.
The club is reviewing its rules about the standard of pedigree entrants and revising breed standards.
Kennel Club is reviewing its rules
Pedigree owner Mars UK said: "After careful consideration, Pedigree has decided to withdraw its sponsorship of Crufts.
"The Pedigree brand has evolved and we are prioritising initiatives that support the broadest possible community of dog owners such as our successful programme to help homeless dogs - The Pedigree Adoption Drive - and our online service for breeders.
"We look forward to working with The Kennel Club on other projects in the future."
The Kennel Club has insisted next year's show in March, at the NEC in Birmingham, will go ahead as planned.
Chief executive Rosemary Smart said: "Clearly we are very sad to lose Pedigree from Crufts.
"We have had an excellent relationship with Pedigree for many years and we wish them well and look forward to working with them in the future."
The club has released the first of some new breed standards, for the Pekingese, which has been bred to have a flat face.
This can lead to breathing problems, and the club said under the new health plan the breed will be required to have a defined muzzle.
Having a dog can improve your life
Manufacturers call for clear pet food labelling
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03 Sep 2008
By Mary Clarke
TV vet Joe Inglis, who has his own pet food brand, and a number of pet food manufacturers including Organipets owners Liz and John Nuttal and Feelwells founder Helen Booth have launched the Campaign for Real Pet Food, which is aimed at making the pet food industry open and honest about the ingredients in food. Food from manufacturers taking part will be marked with a sticker bearing the campaign's logo.
The campaign hopes Inglis will do for pet food what Jamie Oliver did for children’s food with the Channel 4 documentary series School Dinners, which highlighted the effects additives in school meals can have on behaviour. The campaign claims artificial colours such as E102 (tartrazine), E110 (sunset yellow) that have been shown to cause hyperactivity in children are likely to have the same effect on pets.
The Campaign for Real Pet Food said: "One of the main problems is lack of transparency. By using terms such as ‘EC permitted additives’, manufacturers can hide the exact ingredients they use, so it is impossible for a pet owner to make an informed decision about food. ‘EC permitted additives’ covers a list of some 4,000 chemicals and there is a large amount of evidence for the potential harm that artificial additives can do to pets."
Legislation in the UK allows generic terms such as "meat and derivatives" to be used in the ingredients of dog food. This can refer to any part of an animal, which the campaign claims could cause problems for dogs with food intolerances, as differentiation between animal parts is crucial. The campaign also objects to slogans on packaging that claim food can offer "complete and balanced nutrition" and asks that companies clearly explain the benefits of their food.
Inglis’ pet food brand Pet Kitchen is included on the campaign’s list of natural pet food companies alongside Organipets, Feelwells and Natural Pet Choice. Celebrity supporters of the campaign include BBC presenter Matt Baker, actor Anthony Head and Dragon’s Den entrepreneur Deborah Meaden.
It's official, dogs are good for your health. Dogs Trust, the UK's largest dog welfare charity, is calling on GPs and health professionals to prescribe the benefits of dog ownership to their patients following the launch today of its Canine Charter for Human Health.
Dogs Trust has gathered together concrete proof that dogs are good for our health. The charity has compiled independent academic research from around the world to highlight the main nine areas in which owning or interacting with a dog can improve your health.
The Charter's nine points are:
- Dog owners make fewer visits to their doctors
- Owning a dog can help reduce stress and anxiety
- Owning a dog can help reduce blood pressure
- Owners who walk their dogs are healthier than non-dog owners
- Dogs can help the development of children with autism and children with learning difficulties
- Owning a dog can boost your immune system
- Dog owners are likely to recover quicker from heart attacks
- Dogs can help safeguard against depression
- Trained dogs can detect a variety of health conditions – including epileptic fits, cancerous tumours and hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose)
Clarissa Baldwin, Chief Executive of Dogs Trust, said: "Dogs Trust has always promoted the benefits of owning a dog, but it is clear to see that there is also strong academic support to show that there are serious health benefits as well.
"Many dog owners are already aware of many of the benefits their dogs bring, but we want to take the message out further to the wider population.
"We will be distributing copies of the Charter to GPs, counsellors and therapists and anyone working towards the improvement of health and wellbeing, for them to explain or display to the public."
In a supporting survey the results showed:
- 80% of dog owners and 61% of non-dog owners agreed a daily dose of dog can help reduce stress or blood pressure
- 96% of dog owners and 88% of non-dog owners believe that owning a dog increases the amount of exercise that you do
The survey also showed that while non-dog owners are much less likely to be aware of how dogs can improve health and wellbeing generally, even dog owners were less aware of how dogs can assist with more complex medical conditions - just 57% of dog owners agreed that owning a dog can help boost your immune system and only 46% agreed that owning a dog would help you to recover faster from a heart attack.