Mutts Steal the Show at Crufts

People visiting Birmingham, England, to attend the world’s largest dog show, Crufts, now have something to think about, thanks to a provocative new PETA U.K. ad at a bus stop in town.

Dog shows like Crufts encourage people to breed and buy purebred dogs even in the face of the companion animal overpopulation crisis. Every time someone buys a dog from a breeder or pet store, a shelter dog loses a chance at a home. Making people realize this might make them squirm, but if it encourages someone to adopt an animal instead of buying, it saves a life.

And shelter mutts aren’t the only ones in peril—widespread inbreeding ensures that many purebred dogs are plagued by painful and deadly health problems. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in the U.K. dropped its support of Crufts, calling the breeding of deformed and disabled dogs “morally and ethically unjustifiable.” Agreed.

Written by Michelle Sherrow