Dogs Did Not Have Their Day; Court Dismisses PETA Lawsuit Against AKC

Earlier today, a New York state court judge dismissed PETA’s lawsuit against the American Kennel Club (AKC) on the sole ground that PETA is not a constituent, member, or employee of the AKC and therefore cannot advocate for the wellbeing of the dogs AKC promotes and recommends be bred despite incurring deformities. PETA’s lawsuit alleged that the AKC requires certain breeds—including Bulldogs, French Bulldogs, Pugs, Dachshunds, and Chinese Shar-Peis—to exhibit extreme physical traits that cause the dogs crippling pain, suffocation, and untimely deaths. The decision took no position on the dangers of AKC’s breed standards and thus is not a judicial endorsement of AKC’s practices, meaning that an AKC insider is the one allowed to challenge the standards under the particular law PETA invoked.

Please see the following statement from PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk:

French Bulldogs gasp and struggle to breathe and Dachshunds experience agonizing spinal problems because money-grubbing dog merchants flood the market with deformed dogs bred at the AKC’s direction. No dog should be custom-made for a look that causes pain, and PETA urges everyone to reject AKC dollars and adopt a healthy dog out of a shelter instead.

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.