Editorial: June 13, 2025

The Dutch Kennel Club (Radd van Beheer), a member of the FCI, recently lost a lawsuit brought by a large animal-rights group that effectively resulted in the breeds listed below not being allowed to be registered by breeders who have dedicated themselves to their respective breeds. This suit has to do with the length of a dog’s nose being shorter than one-third of its head length. This of course doesn’t affect those puppy mills that will continue to breed and sell these breeds without papers. There has been no official statement by the Dutch Kennel Club as of yet, but the consequences are serious. It once again proves the strength and determination of animal-rights supporters to stop the breeding of purebred dogs worldwide. We as a global community are much too passive in our thoughts and actions in fighting this menace. As you know, the FCI counts many countries as its members; some of these countries are very small, with little to no reserve finances to fight lawsuits. This litigation is costly and time consuming. Those countries that are FCI members should be supported with the might and money of FCI to combat these potential lawsuits that limit our right to breed dogs. As a result of this legal loss by the Dutch Kennel Club, the breeds affected by this decision are: Affenpinscher, Boston Terrier, Boxer, Brussels Griffon, Bulldog, Bullmastiff, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Chihuahua, Dogue de Bordeaux, English Toy Spaniel, French Bulldog, Japanese Chin, Lhasa Apso, Maltese, Mastiff, Neapolitan Mastiff, Pekingese, Pomeranian, Pug, Shih Tzu, Staffordshire Bull Terrier and Yorkshire Terrier. These breed-restrictive laws are cropping up all around the world. We need to help in any way possible — mostly financially — to assist those breeders of purebred dogs from around the world to fight these laws and suits that target certain breeds of dogs and very people who breed and support them. Public awareness and financial support are key factors to successfully fighting the animal-rights groups that threaten our very existence. This is an ill wind blowing around the world.