Two thirds of Brits say a pet’s appearance is important when choosing a dog or cat according to the charity’s new Cost of Cute campaign.
Increasing numbers of dogs and cats are being bred with extreme features such as flat faces, folded ears and very short legs.
They are often found in popular breeds like English and French Bulldogs, Scottish Folds, and mini-Dachshunds.
But Battersea says these features come at a significant cost to an animal’s health, comfort and quality of life.
The campaign is encouraging those planning on getting a dog or cat to do their research beforehand.
Though more than half (61%) of respondents said they would consider health as an important deciding factor when choosing a pet, only a third (39% ) said they would actively avoid a breed known to have health issues, 31% would be less likely to choose it, and 19% would base their decision on the severity of the condition, suggesting appearance can still outweigh welfare concerns in some cases.
Battersea says prospective dog and cat owners should and get an animal who won’t suffer because of how they’ve been bred to look and consider adoption first.
