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French bulldog set to become ‘most popular breed’
frenchie
New figures show there were 21,854 French bulldog registrations in 2016.
Registration figures prompt ‘welfare crisis’ concern
 
French bulldogs could soon overtake Labradors as the UK’s most popular dog breed, according to the latest Kennel Club registration figures.

Popular with celebrities including the Beckhams and Leonardo DiCaprio, French bulldogs are currently in third place, after Labrador retrievers and cocker spaniels. If current trends continue, the breed is on course to take the top spot by the end of 2018, unseating Labradors for the first time in 27 years.

New figures show that in 2016 the Kennel Club registered 21,470 French bulldog puppies, 33,856 Labradors and 21,854 cocker spaniels. This represents a 47 per cent increase in the number of Frenchie registrations from 2015-2016 alone, and a staggering 3,104 per cent increase in the past 10 years.

However, the Kennel Club figures account for just 30 per cent of the UK’s total dog population, meaning the number of French bulldogs in the country is likely to be far higher, including dogs that have been imported illegally from Eastern Europe.

There are concerns that the breed’s popularity is rising as a result of celebrity fashions rather than its suitability for owners. Animal welfare charities are already seeing an increase in Frenchies coming through their doors.

“French bulldog welfare services are getting more and more dogs through their doors, so there is a genuine concern that we could be facing a welfare crisis if their numbers keep increasing,” commented Jackie Mavro-Michaelis, secretary of the Pennine and Scottish French Bulldog Association.

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club secretary, added: “The breed is a favourite with celebrities, who often flaunt them on their Instagram and Twitter accounts for people to coo over. While it’s normal to want to show off your dog, when celebrities do it, it usually results in a surge in the popularity of certain breeds, which is not a good thing as it opens the doors to unscrupulous breeders who see it as an opportunity to breed lots of them without due care to health and welfare.”

Would-be dog owners are being urged to do their research and consider other breeds that may be more suited to their lifestyles. For those intent on buying a French bulldog, choosing a responsible breeder or considering a rescue dog is crucial if they are to avoid contributing to an impending welfare crisis.

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RCVS Knowledge appoints Veterinary Evidence editor-in-chief

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has welcomed Professor Peter Cockcroft as editor-in-chief for Veterinary Evidence.

A world-renowned expert in evidence-based veterinary medicine, Prof Cockcroft will lead the strategic development and editorial quality of the open-access journal. He was previously in the role from 2017-2020.

Katie Mantell, CEO of RCVS Knowledge, said: "We are excited about the extensive knowledge of evidence-based veterinary medicine and clinical veterinary research that Peter brings, and we look forward to working with him over this next phase of the journal's development." 

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News Shorts
CVS Group hit by cyber attack

CVS Group, which owns more than 450 veterinary practices in the UK, has been hit by a cyber attack.

In a statement, the group said the incident involved unauthorised external access to a limited number of its IT systems. As soon as the attack was discovered, the group took its IT systems temporarily offline, causing 'considerable operational disruption'.

It has warned that the security steps taken and ongoing plans to move its operational systems and IT infrastructure to the Cloud are likely to have an ongoing impact over a number of weeks.

Due to the risk that personal information was accessed, CVS has informed the Information Commissioner's Office. The company is working with third party consultants to investigate the incident.