Forthcoming BBC Program PEDIGREE DOGS EXPOSED

[Bet]

May I be permitted to mention that was contacted by the producer of this Film ,called Passionate Productions,to help them find a Poor wee Cavalier who was last stagies of dying from MVD
She was so keen to get a Cavalier who was in the throes of Dying that she also E-Mailed the following day

What kind of person is she ,that she would want to Film a Cavalier drawing it's last Breath?

What kind of Film will this be ,that has to be Sensationialized like this .?

No Animal Lover would want to see a Cavalier gasping it's last Breath.

I do hope before this Film is on TV the Producer will have second thought about it .

I dont know what the content of this Film will be ,but because of the Phone call to me ,I can only guess that it will be extremely biased ,and just to be for purpose of being Sensational

Bet

[Arlene]

I don't know if I agree with you Bet. It sounds like this producer wants - on film - to show a dog in final stages. That means coughing consistently etc. and having trouble keeping up walking etc. I don't believe a producer asked to see the dog actually drawing its last breath. Was that really what was requested?

As an owner of an older non cavalier in these stages (my husky is almost 16) I would have no problem with someone filming a dog to show, informatively, what this lsenior stage looks like. I know I come across dogs at the dog park in this stage that are getting no treatment from a vet simply because the owners don't have a clue that this is indicative of heart problems.

If this is about bringing awareness, I am all for it.

In the province I live in we still do not have one breeder doing MRIs, and as well, as we have no veterinary cardiologists, 95% of breeders are only heart checking through their own vets. Twice a year we do have cardiologists come in for clinics which are put on by the golden retriever club. Rarely do we see toy breeds there.

We need more awareness so the public stops supporting this kind of breeding simply because pedigrees and registrations are given and the occasional dog is championed.

Arlene and her three.

[Davy]

I know on dogpages there was someone looking for owners of disable pets to take part in a program to show what was involved with living with a disable pet.

I don't think this is the same company and did a quick search and found this page from the Kennel club.

http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/1976/23/5/3

Seems they are not happy with Passionate Productions and the questions they were asking?

[Karlin]

Bet, I too have talked a bit with this group and believe you may have misinterpreted their request. I cannot think they asked for a dog 'in the throes of dying' as a voyeuristic, cruel event. I believe that because of the nature of the documentary, they did wish to film a dog who is visibly suffering with a condition almost all of us will have to face with our cavaliers and which too many of us sadly know at first hand and must watch every single day.

Bet, I know you yourself became firm in your long time commitment to the health of the breed and the need for breeders to care enough to follow the MVD protocol precisely because you watched the death of your own loved cavalier and watched exactly this horrific process of suffering. This is what galvanised your own deep concern for the breed. I think that if others who do not own cavaliers -- perhaps think issues like breed health do not really matter -- are to understand how terrible this breed suffers from a condition that could be broadly minimalised if breeders followed the MVD protocol, they need to see how laboured every small step becomes for MVD dogs with congestive heart failure. This isn't a voyeuristic process -- it is a documentary process to argue the need for exactly the same health protocol you have long fought for.
This production will be aired and I will let people know when I have a firm date.

I believe all interested in cavaliers will wish to see this documentary when it runs, in places where you can receive the BBC. It will also highlight SM in the breed, as I understand, as I briefly met the filmmakers at Rugby. I know they actually interviewed the breeder Veronica Hull there, so maybe she will be able to tell you more about their overall focus and concerns, Bet. I only was briefly introduced to them as we were both trying to record the Q&A and position some recording equipment and had a short chat about their production.

As the person involved is not here to respond to your concerns, I will close this thread, but I will ask if she wishes to reply.

This documentary will be airing in the evening on BBC1 within the near future, I believe. I will let board members know as soon as I have a firm date.

[Karlin]

Seems they are not happy with Passionate Productions and the questions they were asking?

I know many breeders worldwide who have issues with their national kennel clubs and breed clubs over differences in how they believe health in breeds should be promoted and best ensured, so it would be no surprise that this issue would be contentious. I would suspect that not all breeders or pet owners might support the current approaches taken by national KCs, while others will. As no one has seen the documentary, it will be impossible to judge til we see it.