GILBERT, Ariz. — Listen closely to a French bulldog and you will likely hear it.
It is the sound of man tinkering with nature.
The dog’s snorting and wheezing is the noisy result of decades of selective breeding. People adore those smooshed snouts.
“They have funny faces. But that’s a problem,” said veterinarian John Carr of Dr. Carr’s Dog & Cat Repair in Mesa.
While Frenchie lovers gather in Gilbert on Saturday to celebrate the goofy, loveable breed, the purpose of the fundraiser is a reminder of the negative consequences of the dog’s wild popularity.
“They didn’t choose this life. They didn’t ask for any of this,” said Mo Slusher of the nonprofit Freedom Frenchie Rescue. Slusher and her two sons care for up to a dozen unwanted French bulldogs at any given time. That includes tending to their unique – and often very expensive - medical needs.
A Covid Boom of French Bulldogs
For a decade, Labradors dominated the American Kennel Club’s top spot of most popular breeds in the U.S. But French bulldogs waddled to the top spot in 2022 and remain there. Nonprofits and shelters in Maricopa County say they’ve seen an uptick in the number of neglected, unwanted Frenchies.
“These are Covid dogs,” Slusher said. “It’s like everyone started backyard breeding. When people want to make money really fast, this is what happens.”
Maricopa County shelters just received another Frenchie yesterday at their East Valley location. Anecdotally, they are getting “more than what is normal,” said shelter spokesperson Kim Powell.
“Many people don’t realize the health needs of these dogs before they buy them,” Powell said.
Like other bulldogs, French bulldogs are prone to respiratory, eye and ear infections, hip and back ailments, allergies, and they have difficulty adapting to Arizona’s heat.
“I always tell people if you plan to get a bulldog, prepare to have a good relationship with your veterinarian,” Carr said.
Efforts to Restrict How French Bulldogs Are Bred
Concerns over “breathing impaired breeds” prompted Norway and the Netherlands to restrict how bulldogs are bred, and a bill in New Hampshire this year also called for regulations. The law would have banned the intentional breeding of two dogs with “identical deformities” like short noses.
Ultimately, the proposal failed but its sponsor hopes it will initiate a movement.
“Many of these animals are literally bred to suffer, because we think the thing making them suffer is ‘cute’, or otherwise desirable or fashionable,” said New Hampshire State Representative Ellen Read in an email to 12News. "My hope is that NH joins the existing breeding movement by some European countries as well as organizations in the States, to return these breeds back to healthy and functional standards.”
According to Scripps News, the American Kennel Club opposed the legislation, saying it could lead to criminalizing breeders.
Fundraiser Supports Veterinary Expenses For Unwanted Frenchies
Carr said he hopes the industry does a better job regulating itself.
“Any breed that gets popular, they start to be 'line bred' or inbred and they develop more trouble.”
In the meantime, nonprofits like the Freedom Frenchie Rescue are trying to keep up with demand. Slusher said she loves rescuing frenchies because she trusts them more than humans.
“Being in this work now, and seeing how many people want to help, has definitely restored some of my faith in humanity,” Slusher said.
The fundraiser is on Saturday, Aug. 24, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event is hosted by NH Prime Property Solutions and is at The Hair of the Dog in Gilbert. There will be pizza, drinks, raffle items and of course, lots of frenchies up for adoption.