News from the RSPCA-
Which imperfect pooch will take the lead in a national dog show with a difference?
RSPCA Ruffs launches this week!
The RSPCA is celebrating the underdog with its own dog show to rival Crufts - with clever canines who have overcome adversity and are now happy hounds.
Traditional beauty pageant style dog shows like Crufts judge dogs primarily on looks - even when these looks can cause pain and suffering. In contrast Ruffs is open to all dogs, has no ‘breed standards’ and celebrates them for the right reasons such as their welfare and happiness - whether they are pedigrees, crossbreeds, rescues or otherwise.
Last year was the RSPCA’s first ever Ruffs and it was overwhelming how the public responded - with hundreds of thousands of people voting throughout the week.
The winner, Tiny, scooped over 400,000 votes to be named ‘Best in Show’. Just two years ago Tiny was at death’s door, suffering from full body Demodicosis and so severely emaciated he looked like a different dog.
“Now in its second year, the competition has been launched to coincide with Crufts - which claims to be ‘the biggest and best celebration of dogs’, but many people would be horrified to learn the way some of our favourite dog breeds have been bred to look, can cause our beloved family pets chronic discomfort, pain and suffering throughout their lives and can even lead to their premature or painful deaths,” said Violet Owens, RSPCA Ruffs organiser.
“This is because show dogs are bred according to ‘breed standards’ set by the Kennel Club, which sets out what an ‘ideal’ example of that breed should look like.
“It’s these standards that the competing dogs at Crufts are judged against, and the dogs who best fit the criteria receive the top awards. Yet some physical features have become so extreme over the years can cause pain and suffering. Meanwhile, Crufts continues to reward breeders putting looks over welfare knowing they may be likely to suffer,” she added.
‘We’ve already seen Cavalier owners standing up for their breed with a petition which has gained over 8,000 signatures on Change.org, now we’d like to see all dog owners uniting for change for our dogs.
To sign the petition, please go to: https://www.change.org/p/the-kennel-club-stop-registerin-g-cavalier-king...
Voting for Ruffs opened yesterday (Monday 2 March). Each category will go up in an album on the RSPCA Official Facebook page from 10am.
Voting will be open to the public via 'likes' on our Facebook page and the winner (by total likes) in each category will be through to the 'Best in Show' final on Sunday and the overall winner will be announced that day.