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NEW YORK (AP) — A lawsuit brought by the animal rights organization PETA, targeting the health standards of French bulldogs and other popular dog breeds, has been dismissed. A judge ruled that a New York law was incorrectly applied in the case.
Originally filed last year, the lawsuit represented a new chapter in PETA’s ongoing efforts against dog breeding practices. The organization accused the American Kennel Club (AKC) of endorsing unhealthy breed standards for dogs such as French bulldogs, which the AKC lists as the most popular breed in the United States, as well as bulldogs, Chinese shar-peis, dachshunds, and pugs. The AKC, known as the country’s oldest purebred dog registry, denied the allegations and asserted its commitment to canine health.
Gina DiNardo, the President of the American Kennel Club, expressed approval of the court’s decision on Tuesday.
“Our focus remains on what truly matters: preserving purebred dogs, advocating for all dogs and their caregivers, and upholding the rights of individuals and families to select the right dog for their home,” she stated.
PETA, which stands for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, indicated that its legal team is currently evaluating potential next steps.
“Money-grubbing dog merchants flood the market with deformed dogs bred at the AKC’s direction,” founder Ingrid Newkirk said in a statement. She urged people to adopt dogs from shelters instead of buying purebred pups: “No dog should be custom-made for a look that causes pain.”
The suit invoked a New York law that is generally used to challenge state and local government decisions, though it’s occasionally applied to private organizations. But those have been organizations with some authority over the people suing them, such as union members bringing complaints about their leadership or co-op apartment residents suing their building’s board, state Judge David B. Cohen said in a decision filed Monday.
Since PETA isn’t subject to the kennel club’s authority, the case “must be dismissed,” he wrote, without opining on the dog health issues at the heart of the case.
It focused on canine ailments that can be associated with flat faces — such as those of bulldogs, pugs and Frenchies — or with the short legs and long backs that dachshunds have. Shar-peis, meanwhile, may suffer spates of fever and inflammation known as “shar-pei autoinflammatory disease.”
The problems aren’t universal but can be serious.
PETA had wanted the judge to order the AKC to stop using the “standards” for those breeds. The standards guide dog show judges and many breeders.
The AKC has said the standards — which fanciers develop and the kennel club reviews and circulates — reflect “decades of collaboration with veterinary experts and breeders.” The kennel club says it has given over $40 million since 1995 to its canine health research charity.