Selective breeding for extreme physical traits has created widespread chronic suffering in brachycephalic, giant breed, and other dogs and cats, requiring systematic reform of breeding standards.
Breed health reform is one of the most important long-term animal welfare challenges in companion animal welfare because the welfare harms are bred into the animal's genetics and cannot be fixed by husbandry improvements alone. A flat-faced dog that struggles to breathe in normal activity is experiencing chronic welfare harm that cannot be resolved without addressing the underlying anatomy. The solution requires changes at multiple levels: breed standard reform to prioritise health over appearance, health testing before breeding, closed gene pool reform through out-crossing, and consumer education to shift demand away from extreme phenotypes. Progress is possible - some breeds have improved significantly over decades of health-focused selection.