The International Collaborative on Extreme Conformations in Dogs (ICECDogs) has released new guidance for advertisers, heavily informed by research from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC). The guidance advises which images of dogs should be avoided in advertising and social media based on their extreme body shape.
The ICECDogs is a multinational group formed to address the escalating global welfare issues and suffering caused by extreme conformations in dogs. ICECDogs defines extreme conformation as a physical appearance that has been so significantly altered through selection by humankind that affected dogs commonly suffer from poor health and welfare, with negative impacts on their quality of life. Examples of common dog breeds that are often affected by health issues linked to extreme conformation include the French Bulldog, Pug, English Bulldog and Dachshund.
This new guidance calls on all advertisers and social media users worldwide to immediately stop using images of dogs with extreme conformation in public communications unless these images are aimed at protecting canine health and well-being. Instead, ICECDogs recommends that advertisers focus on using images that promote physically healthy conformations in dogs.
The guidance outlines the basic physical attributes and abilities that any dog must have to ensure their capacity to enjoy a full life without limitation from health issues linked to extreme conformations. Common examples of health and welfare issues linked to extreme conformation include chronic pain (e.g., eye ulcers because of protruding eyes) or physical incapacity (e.g., unable to sleep or exercise fully due to breathing difficulties from being flat-faced).
Unfortunately, over the past decade, more and more owners have chosen to acquire dogs with extreme conformations, such as excessive skin folds, short tails, short legs and flat faces. RVC VetCompass research has estimated that there were more than half a million French Bulldogs and a quarter of a million Miniature Dachshunds owned in the UK in 2023, along with more than 180,000 Pugs and 130,000 English Bulldogs. Much of this increased public demand is believed to result from the commonplace use of images of dogs with extreme conformations as promotional aids in advertising and social media, which has normalised these harmful body shapes in the public’s perception.
This new ICECDogs guidance is, therefore, designed to inform advertisers and social media users about the potential welfare costs caused by the inappropriate use of images of dogs with extreme body shapes. It aims instead to encourage the public to share only images of physically healthy dogs.
ICECDogs is advising advertisers to err on the side of welfare caution and avoid using images of dogs where there is uncertainty about whether the dogs have extreme conformation. ICECDogs is also advising members of the public who identify advertisements contravening the guidance to report them to the relevant advertising standards agency in their country and also to contact the advertisers directly.
Dr Dan O’Neill, cchair of the UK Brachycephalic Working Group, associate professor for Companion Animal Epidemiology at the RVC and co-founding ICECDogs member, said:
“Millions of dogs continue to suffer worldwide every year from extreme and unnecessary body shapes. This new ICECDogs message calls on advertisers to play their part in ending the normalisation of suffering from extreme body shapes and will hopefully contribute to the ongoing worldwide movement to instead celebrate healthy body shapes in dogs.”
The full “ICECDogs – Guidelines on Advertising Using Imagery of Dogs with Extreme Conformation” is available at here.
