Dog Struggling to Breathe? St. Louisans May Have a Legal Case Against the AKC, says PETA Foundation

For Immediate Release:
September 8, 2026

Contact:
Sara Groves 202-483-7382

Guardians of certain flat-faced breeds may have a legal case against the American Kennel Club (AKC), and a new sky-high message—located near the City Paws Veterinary Clinic on S. Vandeventer Avenue—is encouraging St. Louis residents to contact PETA Foundation attorneys for possible recourse if their dog is struggling to breathe.

Bulldogs, pugs, boxers, Boston terriers, shih tzus, Cavalier King Charles spaniels, and other flat-faced dogs are breathing-impaired breeds who tend to suffer from a multitude of health problems. In order to achieve a specific aesthetic look that the AKC requires, they’re purposely bred to have such exaggerated, flat faces that their snouts are pushed back against their skulls, causing them to have shortened airways that leave them struggling to breathe, run, play, and do most of the things that make dogs’ lives meaningful. The club could greatly reduce the number of dogs who develop these issues by changing its breed standards—either voluntarily or by court order. 

“The AKC is basically a trade organization that encourages people to breed and buy dogs who can barely breathe, let alone go for a jog or chase a ball, all while heartbroken guardians are buried in vet bills,” says PETA Vice President Daniel Paden. “The PETA Foundation is prepared to take legal action on behalf of guardians whose dogs are suffering, and encourages those affected to call 1-855-HURT DOG.”

Several countries—including Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, and Norway—have banned or restricted the breeding of some or all breathing-impaired breeds.

PETA Foundation’s appeal is located at the intersection of Kingshighway Boulevard and S. Vandeventer Avenue in St. Louis.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.