PETA slams AOC for ‘buying and CAGING deliberately inbred French bulldog’ rather than adopting needy pup
PETA blasted Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for apparently buying and caging a purebred French bulldog rather than adopting a needy pup.
The animal rights group called out the New York politician in a blistering letter today for supposedly purchasing her pooch from a breeder instead of giving a vulnerable mutt a home.
AOC has yet to address the puppy’s origins after introducing her furry friend to her 4.1 million Instagram followers on Tuesday, who are helping her to choose a name.
But PETA slammed Ocasio-Cortez, saying French bulldogs are often inbred and suffer from multiple health issues her copycat constituents can’t afford to treat.
In the candid letter, PETA president Ingrid Newkirk told AOC the organization “couldn’t believe our eyes” given her role model status.
Newkirk wrote: “With the millions of homeless dogs out there, you apparently chose to buy a purebred puppy instead of adopting one from an animal shelter.
“Right this minute, on Petfinder alone, there are more than 110,000 dogs — including French bulldogs — who need homes.
“Animal shelters are bursting at the seams with hundreds of thousands more, many of whom will be ‘put to sleep’ for lack of a home.”
The SunOnline contacted Ocasio-Cortez’s spokesperson for comment on Thursday evening and she has yet to confirm whether the dog was bought or adopted.
Newkirk said French bulldogs are a particularly bad breed to choose given their “man-made” breed-specific traits which hinder their health.
The adorable flat-faced features of Brachycephalic dogs – meaning “shortened head” – can lead to a .
Brachycephalic Dogs
PUREBRED French Bulldogs may look adorable on Instagram but breeder interference results in multiple health issues, expects say.
Flat-faced dogs may look adorable but it is often at a cost to their health.
Brachycephalic dog breeds – like Boston Terriers, English Bulldogs, French Bulldogs, Pugs, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Shar-Pei, English Mastiff, Shih Tzu and Pekinese – can all experience major issues.
The anatomy of these dogs can hamper clear, easy breathing unlike most dogs with upper airways which allows air to pass freely through the trachea.
This can lead to signs of distress like coughing, gagging, regurgitation, vomiting, and difficulty eating, according to animal experts.
Their symptoms may even require a costly surgury to shorten the dog’s elongated soft palate, improve the dog’s comfort, and reduce these distress signals.
Recent studies show than purebred dogs.
This is because of their mixed genes which make them stronger than their disease-prone purebred counterparts.
Animal advocates and veterinarians alike have called for responsible breeding as people continue to seek out purebred dogs with these issues.
“[These traits] cause health problems that many people who will be influenced by your purchase won’t be able to afford to address,” Newkirk told her.
The unnamed dog made his social media debut on Monday when Ocasio-Cortez appealed to the masses for a name.
“He doesn’t have a name yet!” she told her followers, saying they’re considering something “Star Trek related” or a name related to the Bronx, Queens, or New York City.
On Wednesday, AOC posted footage of the snoozing doggy resting in his carrier while she travels from NYC to DC on the train.
She captioned the video on her Instagram Stories: “We are working really hard to socialize the pup to new environments, different people, travel, etc.”
But the dog’s crate didn’t go down so well and the congresswoman shared another post of him howling in it later that day.
“He’s good about his crate when we are right next to it,” she wrote alongside laughing and crying emojis. “[B]ut he’s such a velcro pup that at night he whimpers if he’s not right next to us. We’re working on it!”
But PETA didn’t think it was a laughing matter.
“We’re also sending you a copy of the book Dogs Hate Crates, which explains why crate training is not humane or effective,” Newkirk wrote.
“We’re asking that you please be a part of the solution to ending the cat- and dog-overpopulation crisis and consider setting the right example for your millions of followers by adopting a mutt and encouraging them to do the same.
“Not only will you be saving another dog’s life, the new dog will also provide your puppy with the companionship he desperately needs as your busy schedule takes you around the country.”
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