'777 Charlie' tips scales in favour of Labradors; owners abandon other breeds

Bengaluru: The highlight of the recent Kannada movie, 777 Charlie was a dog and as the movie was released in multiple languages, an alleged increase in demand for Labradors have been reported. While the message conveyed by the filmmakers was to encourage adoption and not abandon them, individuals have been reacting in a much contrary way.

Trends observed globally

These incidents are not new as similar trends have been observed in the past. After the release of Lassie Come Home in 1943, there was a spike in demand for Collies. Likewise, Game of Thrones, 101 Dalmatians and other such movies led to a greater demand for Siberian Huskies and Dalmatians. Subsequently, many of these dogs were also abandoned at animal shelters since the owners could not take care of them.

Although the intention of the movie is completely different, people get influenced just by looking at the posters as they don't watch the movie, says Sumanth Bedre, a Veterinary Surgeon. "During my interaction with a client, they had got a Labrador puppy and when I asked them the reason, they said that they watched a movie and their 7-year-old kid insisted on doing so," he says.

"Most people don't think out the decision of adding a pet to their family. Most of the time, it is impulsive. One common theme we can see is how easily people get influenced by trends around us, and it is not wrong to say that media plays a huge part in it. At one point, many Indians hadn't even heard of the pug breed, but after the Hutch ads, this flat faced dog became a household breed. In fact, some people still refer to this dog as 'Hutch naayi/ Vodafone naayi' (Hutch dog/Vodafone dog). People impulsively bought the dog without researching about the breed and the kind of genetic problems they come with," says AshikaAppaiah, Volunteer, PfA (People for Animals).

"The movie I Am Legend by Will Smith led to a rise in demand for German Shepherds," adds Sumanth.

What happens when demand is created

Backyard breeding takes place when there is a demand for a certain breed of dogs. Every time you buy a dog from a breeder, a dog waiting in an animal shelter or surviving on the streets loses an opportunity to find a home.

"When there is an increase in demand for a certain breed of dog, most of them indulge in backyard breeding which is illegal. They also try to sell these puppies as early as possible for the sake of money, either after a month or 28 days. Ideally, the minimum period for the puppy to remain with the mother is 56-60 days as these puppies can strengthen their immunity by consuming colostrum (First form of milk produced by mammals following the delivery of a newborn) which consists of maternal antibodies. This helps in the prevention of dangerous diseases like Parvo and Distemper. When the puppy is separated from its mother at an early stage, it is at a risk of being infected with a disease," he explains.

"Many breeders do not have adequate space for animals as they just use them to breed, produce puppies and sell them. The mother goes through an emotional trauma as the puppy is separated from her at an early stage and the cycle is repeated. This definitely has to be discouraged. However, most of them don't even watch these movies, posters and video ads are a visual medium that can communicate and kids get influenced easily as they aren't educated about breeding," he adds. "A lot of pet parents also end up abandoning their dogs since they cannot look after them and we witness these incidents on a daily basis," he says.

Lack of research

Breed preferences have also led to people buying dogs that aren't suitable for India's tropical climate. It becomes problematic when these dogs are abandoned as they develop complicated health problems due to unfavourable conditions that they are bred or kept in.

"90% of the pugs suffer from Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS) due to generations of breeding for a short face and head shape. In fact, animal activists in UK are calling for a ban on breeding of pugs and French bulldogs. Apart from it, they are prone to suffering from skin infections due to the folds in their skin. An average breeder who breeds pugs indiscriminately will not care about the welfare of the animal so they won't bother warning the new owners about this. The family that'll be buying this won't even research about this and will go ahead fuelling the demand of pugs. So who is at fault here? The advertising agency that used this breed? The breeders who breed it? Or the people who purchase this breed?" questions Ashika.

"Similarly, you can see this repeat with Labradors that people are going to buy after watching this movie. This breed is prone to getting Canine Hip Dysplasia (CHD), and Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD), which is canine elbow and shoulder dysplasia, heart problems, and diabetes. In few months or years, animal shelters will see a surge in Labradors being dumped and you'll know the reason why," she expresses.

"Siberian Huskies, Golden Retrievers, and Labradors aren't well-suited for Indian climatic conditions. Therefore, it is necessary to adopt local indie dogs. Other than this, since many dogs are separated from their mothers at a young age, they would not have developed the immunity to defend themselves from certain diseases. Labradors and Retrievers face hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia due to inbreeding, they are also prone to get skin diseases. Individuals buy these dogs without conducting any research. It is significant to research before getting any dog and indies are the most suitable ones for Indian climate. Instead of buying a pure-bred dog, save a life by adopting an indie pup," concludes Sumanth.