Dutch Minister Proposes Ban on Flat-Faced Dogs, Folded-Ear Cats Who Have ‘Miserable’ Health Problems

The Netherlands is proposing a ban on dogs with flat faces and cats with folding ears, claiming they suffer from “miserable” health problems due to their appearance.

Dutch Minister of Agriculture, Nature, and Food Quality Piet Adema announced the proposal Friday, saying the issue of pets having certain genetic traits, such as dogs with short muzzles, affected him personally.

“This subject affects me not only as a minister, but also as a person. We make life miserable for innocent animals, purely because we think they are ‘beautiful’ and ‘cute,'” Adema said.

“That is why today we are taking a big step towards a Netherlands where no pet has to suffer from his or her appearance. The keeping and display bans with which I want to achieve this will require a lot of time to be carefully worked out,” he added.

According to Euronews, the ban on breeding so-called “designer pets” was implemented in 2014 in the Netherlands, but the government is now seeking to close a loophole that allowed those pets to be traded, imported, and owned.

The list of specific breeds has yet to be clarified by the government, but they say they will gradually supplement it. In the meantime, the government says that cats and dogs are most likely to be targeted since they are the most common pets.

Among the dog breeds with muzzled noses that the ban could impact include King Charles spaniels and French and English bulldogs, Euronews noted.

Officials clarified that those who already own such animals can keep them until they die and that the ban will only apply to new people who wish to own an animal with specific external characteristics.

The government also noted they would not rule out censoring social media users who share images of pets they deem to have “harmful” characteristics. They claim the popularity of such designer pets has grown due to their images being circulated online.

According to the animal organization Blue Cross, based in the United Kingdom, dogs with short noses or flat faces are described as “brachycephalic” and are more likely to suffer from health issues as their ability to breathe normally is restricted. However, the association noted that not all “brachycephalic” dogs would suffer from health problems.

Furthermore, cats with folded ears, such as the Scottish Fold breed, potentially means they have a genetic defect that can cause other health issues throughout the body, according to the RSPCA in Australia via Fox Los Angeles. Those health abnormalities include “arthritis, thick and unflexible tails, spinal issues, and short and stiff legs.”

The only other country with a similar ban in place is Norway following a court ruling from last year that stated breeding dogs such as English bulldogs and King Charles spaniels were cruel, resulting in “man-made health problems” for those animals, according to Euronews. However, the country only bans breeding flat-faced dogs and does not have trade or import restrictions.

You can follow Ethan Letkeman on Twitter at @EthanLetkeman.