| Pedigree Dogs Exposed | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Documentary |
| Narrated by | Jemima Harrison |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Production | |
| Producer | Jemima Harrison |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Production company | Passionate Productions |
| Original release | |
| Network | BBC One |
| Release | 19 August 2008 |
| Infobox instructions (only shown in preview) | |
Pedigree Dogs Exposed is a BBC One investigative documentary, produced by Jemima Harrison, which looks into health and welfare issues facing pedigree dogs in the United Kingdom. It was originally broadcast on 19 August 2008.
The Kennel Club (KC), the governing body of pedigree dogs in the UK which runs the prestigious dog breed show Crufts, was criticised for allowing breed standards, judging standards, and breeding practices to compromise the health of pedigree dogs.[1]
The programme generated much criticism of the Kennel Club. It also caused various sponsors and trade exhibitors to withdraw their participation from Crufts and other Kennel Club events. The BBC—which had broadcast Crufts for 42 years—withdrew its coverage of Crufts in 2009, and chose not to renew it thereafter.
The Kennel Club initially denied the filmmakers' assertion that many of the dogs suffered from diseases and stated that the vast majority of dog breeds are healthy. It also lodged a complaint with broadcasting regulator Ofcom, claiming unfair treatment and editing. Due to strong public reaction, it later rolled out new health plans and reviewed breed standards for every breed, an action which some breeders condemned as an overreaction. Ofcom's final ruling upheld KC's complaints regarding the lack of a right of reply for some allegations made by the programme, but dismissed complaints made in various other areas. The ruling also acknowledged that KC's geneticist Jeff Sampson's views were misrepresented, but stated that as a whole, the KC was not treated unfairly by the programme.
Three separate health reports were commissioned as a result of the programme. Reports by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Associate Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare and Sir Patrick Bateson (funded by the Kennel Club and Dogs Trust) concluded that breeding practices held by the KC were detrimental to the welfare of pedigree dogs and made various recommendations to be taken by the Kennel Club and breeders to improve pedigree dog health.
A follow-up programme, Pedigree Dogs Exposed: Three Years On, was broadcast on BBC 4 on 27 February 2012.[2]
- ^ "Pedigree dogs plagued by disease". BBC News Online. 19 August 2008. Retrieved 31 December 2009.
- ^ "Programme information: Pedigree Dogs Exposed - Three Years On". BBC. Retrieved 22 July 2013.