Netherlands to enforce ban on breeding dogs with genetic disorders
Regulations set by at least 25 Dutch pedigree dog associations allow breeding with dogs that have genetic disorders, a practice that violates national animal welfare laws. Investigative journalism program Zembla uncovered widespread noncompliance, revealing that affected dogs suffer from hereditary conditions such as hip and elbow dysplasia and epilepsy, which are then passed down to their offspring. The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (Nederlandse Voedsel- en Warenautoriteit, NVWA) has condemned the findings as "very serious" and announced plans to take action against breeders.
The Netherlands has approximately 300 recognized dog breeds, each governed by one or more breed associations that set breeding regulations. These associations establish criteria for which dogs can be used for breeding. While severe hereditary conditions like advanced hip and elbow dysplasia are prohibited under breeding rules, milder forms of these disorders are often permitted.
Zembla analyzed a sample of 25 breed associations and found that none complied with legal standards. The NVWA confirmed these findings. "We see that these breeding regulations violate the law. We find this very serious," said NVWA veterinarian Susan Hoogendoorn.
Under the Dutch Animal Welfare Act (Wet Dieren) and the Animal Keepers Decree (Besluit Houders van Dieren), breeding animals in ways that harm the health and well-being of the parent animal or offspring is prohibited. This means that breeding should only involve healthy dogs to prevent hereditary diseases from spreading. Even breeding dogs with mild forms of genetic disorders is illegal. However, as Zembla's investigation revealed, such practices remain widespread.
The NVWA has vowed to intervene. "Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the breeders. So we will visit them directly," Hoogendoorn stated.
Some breed associations allow breeding with dogs carrying genetic disorders out of fear that stricter restrictions would shrink the breeding population. The Drentsche Patrijshond association, for example, permits breeding with dogs suffering from mild hip dysplasia. The Mastiff breed association allows breeding with dogs that have both hip and elbow dysplasia. Similarly, the Saint Bernard association follows the same approach.
Veterinary neurologist Paul Mandigers explained that breeders worry about genetic diversity. "If too many animals are excluded, the breeding population becomes too small, and genetic diversity decreases," he told Zembla.
Zembla also discovered that the Raad van Beheer op Kynologisch Gebied (Dutch Kennel Club), the umbrella organization for all breed associations and the sole authority issuing pedigrees for purebred dogs, allows breeding with dogs carrying hereditary conditions. "We find this very serious as well," Hoogendoorn said. The NVWA has opened discussions with the Dutch Kennel Club about these violations, but the organization has not responded to Zembla's inquiries.
Experts featured in the Zembla broadcast "End of the Purebred Dog: Fifteen Years Later" warned that hereditary disorders are now widespread among Dutch pedigree dogs. "More than half of the diagnoses we see in our clinic have a genetic origin," said veterinarian Hille Fieten, an associate professor of clinical genetics at Utrecht University’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.
