Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome remains one of the most severe welfare problems in companion animal breeding. Recent regulatory and industry changes are beginning to address this crisis.
Severely brachycephalic dogs live with a permanent welfare deficit caused by the structural inability to breathe normally. The condition is not episodic but constant - these dogs struggle to breathe during exercise, excitement, sleep and hot weather throughout their entire lives. Surgery improves but rarely normalises breathing function. The scale of the welfare problem is immense, with millions of brachycephalic dogs affected globally. The breeding choices that perpetuate this problem reflect consumer demand for extreme facial features that correlate with the degree of anatomical compromise. Welfare-motivated breed reform requires both regulatory action and sustained consumer education to shift purchasing behaviour.