The Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality announced Friday an initiative to prevent animal suffering that includes a possible ban on pug dogs or Scottish Fold cats.
«This issue affects me not only as a minister, but also as a person. We make life miserable for innocent animals, simply because we think they are ‘beautiful’ and ‘cute’. That’s why today we are taking a big step towards a Netherlands where no pet has to suffer because of its appearance,» Dutch minister Piet Adema said in a statement.
The ministry is considering creating a list of external characteristics that may be harmful to animals. These include dogs that cannot breathe properly because of their short snouts, such as pugs.
Also, other affected animals could be Scottish Fold cats because they have a genetic mutation that causes pain in the cartilage of their paws. For that reason, they have folded ears, as reported by the newspaper ‘Het Parool’.
«People who already have at home an animal with that characteristic that is forbidden can keep that animal until it dies», clarified the minister, who informed that the Executive wants to prepare two parallel measures, one on the prohibition of this type of animals and another on their sale, import or exhibition.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
