PETA Urges Bank of England Not to Use Bulldogs on New Banknotes

PETA Urges Bank of England Not to Use Bulldogs on New Banknotes

London – Following the news that the Bank of England is taking suggestions from the public to design new banknotes, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has sent the bank’s Chief Cashier, Victoria Cleland, an urgent letter pleading with them not to use bulldog imagery on any notes.

In the letter (available here), PETA’s Vice President of Corporate Projects, Yvonne Taylor, explains that flat-faced breeds are susceptible to severe health problems, including brachycephalic syndrome, because of their purposely flattened, pushed-in snouts and that they suffer from a plethora of serious health issues as a result of his deformity.

“This condition can sometimes be fatal, bringing about heart failure, suffocation, or heat stroke,” writes Taylor. “Please don’t sign off on a design that endorses the cruel and unethical breeding of dogs with deformities. By featuring a rescued mongrel, who are typically healthier and tend to live longer than their pedigree counterparts, on the new banknotes, you would earn the praise of animal lovers and champion the underdog.”

Bulldogs are Breathing-Impaired Breeds (BIB) bred for a particular look. Their drastically shortened airways result in an array of painful and distressing symptoms – including laboured breathing, snorting, gagging, and collapsing – and make dogs more susceptible to vomiting, exercise intolerance, and premature death.

After hearing from PETA and its international entities, a growing list of ad and marketing agencies, organisations, retailers, and other businesses are taking responsibility for the impact that marketing has on consumers and refusing to use images of certain BIBs in publications and ads. This conscientious decision can help reduce the demand for dogs with features that cause them to suffer.

PETA – whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way” – opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETA.org.uk or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

Contact:

Jennifer White +44 (0) 20 7837 6327; [email protected]

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