PETA Global 2023 Issue 2

To Breathing-Impaired Breeds, Amanda Seales Is a Breath of Fresh Air

Struggling to breathe isn’t “normal.”

Comedian Amanda Seales has a knack for tackling serious issues with wit, as evidenced by her HBO comedy special, popular podcast, and hit show Insecure . Now, she’s teamed up with PETA to make sure everyone knows that “Breeding dogs to suffer is not the vibe.” Amanda and her rescued pal, Geordi, star in a new PETA ad that celebrates mutts, or “Heinz 57s.” Talking about buying dogs for a certain look, Amanda says: “You know what doesn’t fit the aesthetic? Buying dogs who can’t breathe ! … You can help stop the demand for designer and breathing impaired dogs by adopting your next dog and finding a companion almost as trendy as Geordi. Look at that Mohawk!” Geordi, named after Star Trek’s visually impaired Geordi La Forge, only has one eye, but it doesn’t slow him down.

Pug: © Pavel Shlykov/Shutterstock.com • Bulldog: © iStock.com/GlobalP

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Amanda Seales ad: © Photo – Ricardo Nelson | Art director – Greg Garry | Makeup – Saisha Beecham and Tequana Colvin | Hair – Angie Perrantes Shapiro | Hair – Ryan Richman

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Their open-mouthed, labored breathing, which their guardians may have come to think of as “normal,” spells misery and can even be deadly. Recently, a French bulldog was fighting so desperately for air during a flight that her tongue started to turn blue, and the flight crew had to use an oxygen mask to save her . Because dogs don’t perspire as humans do and must pant to cool themselves down, BIB dogs are at least twice as likely to suffer from heatstroke as other dogs. And new research reveals that French bulldogs, American bulldogs, English bulldogs, and pugs have the shortest life expectancy of all breeds – an appallingly short 4.5 years for French bulldogs. Dogs Robbed of Everything They Enjoy It can be tough or even impossible for breathing impaired breeds to go for a walk, play with other dogs at the park, or bond with their guardians over a game of fetch without discomfort. And according to a recent study at the University of California–Los Angeles, these facial deformities can even hamper their ability to smell. BIB dogs are bred to appeal to human aesthetic desires – not to be able to enjoy a normal life. They’re deliberately “designed” to have a certain appearance, just as couches and cars are. Bred to Suffer and Suffering to Be Bred It’s no wonder that puppy peddlers avoid responsibility for brachycephalic dogs’ inevitable vet bills even as they charge as much as US$15,000 to purchase them. A My Next Puppy store worker explained part of the reason for the exorbitant price:

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According to Amanda: “Geordi is hashtag EN-ER-GY! … And let me tell you, Geordi knew how to get adopted.” Discussing their unbreakable bond, Amanda added, “I think the real bottom line is that a dog is not an accessory. When you adopt, you might just find someone you love.” Go to PETA.org/Amanda to watch her video.

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INDUSTRY INSIDER ADMITS FLAT-FACED BREEDS ALWAYS SUFFER What Can $15,000 Buy? One Sick Dog

invasive surgeries and face high mortality rates while under anesthesia because of their constricted airways.

Condemned by Veterinarians, Banned Overseas While the American Kennel Club’s shameless, profit oriented “breed standards” mandate flat faces for certain breeds (it even awarded “Best in Show” to a panting bulldog at its last National Championship), many veterinary groups are urging breeders to adopt more humane practices and allow dogs to have a more natural, healthier snout and respiratory system. Austria, Norway, and the Netherlands restrict the breeding of BIBs. The UK is looking to do the same, and the Netherlands is considering banning BIBs in ads. But as long as people keep buying BIBs, greedy breeders will continue churning them out (along with other breeds that have their own distinct health problems). If you want to spare dogs a lifetime of misery, always adopt – never shop .

I n revealing new undercover footage, a pet store employee tells a PETA investigator what few people realize: Bulldogs, pugs, and other dogs bred to have flat faces

That panting, that noisy breathing, and those tongues lolling out of their mouths are uncomfortable! Dogs bred (and often inbred) to have a squashed-in face and almost no nose at all are afflicted with a condition called brachycephalic syndrome : This means that their unnatural, crumpled, constricted

airways leave them struggling just to breathe. These breathing-impaired breeds (BIB) – including Pekingese, Boston terriers, boxers, Cavalier King Charles spaniels, and shih tzus – commonly suffer from numerous health conditions, such as sleep apnea, gagging, vomiting, fainting, dental issues, eye problems caused by misshapen skulls, laryngeal collapse as a result of chronic

endure a lifetime of debilitating, costly – and sometimes fatal – health problems. Breeders and retailers usually keep it quiet, but a worker at a My Next Puppy

PETA is calling on the University of Georgia to stop promoting BIBs by replacing Uga, its English bulldog mascot, with a willing human mascot. Take action at PETA.org/Uga .

“ The English bulldog, the French bulldog, the pug, all the brachycephalic dogs don’t get the lifetime warranty because of their known sinus issues. And it’s not an ‘if.’ It’s more of a ‘when’ and ‘how often’ are they gonna have problems with the sinuses.”

store in Virginia divulged the reason why the store won’t provide a “lifetime warranty” for dogs deliberately bred to have disfigured snouts:

stress on the cartilage, and strain on the heart from fighting for air.

Bulldogs, pugs, and some other BIBs have been so severely altered that they cannot reproduce naturally and the puppies’ heads cannot fit through the birth canal . Females used for breeding are subjected to repeated

Take Action Now Visit PETA.org/EndAnimalHomelessness to sign the pledge.

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22 CAPTION 22 THESE BREEDS CAN’T BREATHE