The Dark Side of Selective Breeding

Post by Eirinn Hawkin

Selective breeding can have a profound negative impact on millions of animals across the globe. 74% of livestock are factory farmed worldwide, which makes them subject to intensive selective breeding practices that prioritize productivity over welfare. This issue extends beyond agriculture: companion animals such as dogs, cats, horses etc are also bred for aesthetic, behavioural or physical traits, sometimes with severe health costs.

What is Selective Breeding?

Selective breeding involves breeding animals with desirable characteristics to increase the chance of them appearing in future generations. The offspring are often bred together- an intensive breeding practice that can have severe consequences. This practice is considered economically valuable, often used to increase productivity in agriculture, disease prevention and changing appearances. However, this raises an important question- at what cost?

The Consequences:

There are severe repercussions for selective breeding that are often overlooked:

• Decreased Fertility: This is associated with high levels of stress and may lead to the culling of the animal, because they are no longer of use.

• Birth defects: These are much more common in animals that are products of selective breeding, leading to a shorter lifespan and poor quality of life.

• Health problems in companion animals: Intensive breeding practices - especially in pedigree dogs - increase the risk of cancer and blindness, this is expensive to treat and are emotionally distressing to owners.

Case Study - Broiler Chickens:

In agriculture, modern chickens grow twice as fast 60 years ago due to selective breeding. These chickens are known as “broilers”. Throughout their development, their muscles grow incredibly quickly, however the supporting structure of the legs, heart, and circulatory system can’t keep up with the demand. This mismatch results in the development of painful leg disorders and heart abnormalities affecting up to 1 billion broiler chickens worldwide.

According to the European Commission report 2016, 30% of intensively reared broilers have leg abnormalities. Additionally, cardiac problems heighten the risk of sudden death syndrome- the leading cause of death in broiler chickens.

Case Study- Pugs and French Bulldogs:

Pugs and French Bulldogs have been bred to have short, flat faces with narrow nostrils and an abnormal windpipe- classifying them as brachycephalic. Due to their ‘cute’ features, there has been a drastic increase in the popularity of flat-faced dogs over the years. There are many traits that cause suffering in flat-faced dogs- they often suffer from breathing difficulties and struggle with exercise. Pugs often have bulging eyes, making them 20 times more prone to painful eye ulcers than non-brachycephalic dogs. Additionally, they have long, floppy ears and folded skin which increases the risk of infection. Finally, brachycephalic dogs tend to die at a much younger age than healthy dogs and giving birth can be life threatening.

Legislation:

There is only a single UK provision that addresses the damages of inbreeding. It states that animals may only be kept for farming if their genetics suggest that they can live under normal conditions, without suffering or developing health problems. Whilst this is good, this provision is widely ignored by the breeding and livestock sectors and is not enforced by UK authorities.

In contrast, a 2022 landmark ruling by Norway ruled that the breeding of English bulldogs and Cavalier King Charles spaniels is a violation of the Norwegian animal welfare act. Additionally, as of January 2026, the Norwegian meat industry has announced a plan to phase out fast-growing broiler chicken breeds by 2027. This is sign that the world is waking up to the detrimental effects of selective breeding.

Solutions:

The government must begin a crackdown on illegal selective breeding practices by both farmers and breeders alike and begin to prioritize the health and welfare of animals. As the public, we should aim to educate ourselves on how our own pets can be impacted by intensive breeding. Breeds like pugs and French bulldogs are severely impacted, therefore it’s encouraged by the RSPCA that buyers should choose pets that have the best chances of being happy and healthy.

There is more information on the RSPCA website on how to avoid buying from an irresponsible breeder-adopting a pet prevents your money from going towards the wrong breeder.

Sources

1. Viva Animal Charity- https://viva.org.uk/animals/introduction-factory-farming/#:~:text=Globally%2C%20it's%20estimated%20that%20three,are%20confined%20on%20these%20farms.&text=Our%20World%20in%20Data.,2025.

2. Van Marle-Köster E, Visser C. Unintended consequences of selection for increased production on the health and welfare of livestock. Arch Anim Breed. 2021 May 25;64(1):177-185. doi:10.5194/aab-64-177-2021. PMID:34109267; PMCID: PMC8182664.

3. RSPCA: Pedigree dogs’ health problems-https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/puppy/pedigreedogs/health#:~:text=As%20a%20side%20effect%20of,to%20communicate%20with%20other%20dogs.

4. Compassion in World Farming: https://www.ciwf.org.uk/media/7452117/selective-breeding-report-september-2022.pdf

5. European Commission Report (2016)- https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52016DC0182

6. Euro Group for Animals- https://www.eurogroupforanimals.org/news/landmark-ruling-against-unethical-dog-breeding-norway#:~:text=Norway's%20Supreme%20Court%20handed%20down,inbred%20for%20breeding%20to%20continue.