The new research that looked at domestic cats' DNA identified signs of disease more common in pedigree breeds than experts previously thought.

Oh no (Picture: SSPCA)Microchips from the poor pup who died matched the chips from the rescued three, and it’s suspected they were abandoned by a dodgy breeder after it was discovered the virus was a risk.

A former pet industry worker sparked debate by warning people not to adopt five unexpected dog breeds in a video which amassed seven million views.Many took to the comments to defend their dog breed while others agreed with her controversial opinions.

A study by the Royal Veterinary College found that distinctive features of English bulldogs such as their flat faces, protruding lower jaws and folds of skin contribute to them being twice as likely as other breeds to have health problems and substantially shorter lives.

South Korea is the only country in Asia to intensively breed dogs to be eaten But the majority of the South Korean public reject the trade, and activists are working hard to stop it (Picture: Jean Chung) Claire holds Mocha, a UK-bound dog in front of his cage at the Namyangju farm (Picture: Jean Chung)Opinion polls show that 72% of citizens in Yulin don’t regularly eat dog, despite efforts by meat traders to promote it.

Now the summer breeding season is here, animal welfare groups report a huge influx of lost, stray or abandoned ferrets, often pregnant jills (females) whose owners can’t cope with extra kits, or hobs (males) who have marshalled their notorious escapology skills to go in search of a mate.

Yet new breeds of dogs are introduced each year.All dogs derive from a one-time domestication event – a single wolf that became a companion animal.That’s probably how most of our dog breeds came about: humans controlling based on qualities we want or find pleasing.

A MISSING pets charity has revealed that pet thefts increased across the UK because of Covid, as they warn new owners they might accidentally be buying stolen dogs.German Shepherds are another dog that thieves target as they can make as much as £1,055 for selling to new pet owners.

Yes, flat-nosed breeds are not exactly the picture of health, and yes, people need to stop over-breeding dogs just for trendy looks, but somewhere along the way it feels like the pugs themselves have started to be judged, which is a shame because they’re absolute sweeties.

Roderick was 'bullied' by another dog in his last home (Image: RSPCA) Sign up for FREE for latest news plus tips to save money and the environment.The one-year-old American Bulldog crossbreed is on the RSPCA's 'special' animals list (Image: RSPCA)Roderick is looking for a new owner who has experience of large dogs.

Poor Charlie has been waiting for a forever home for almost 500 days (Image: RSPCA) The RSPCA is hoping it will be third time lucky for the five-year-old crossbreed (Image: RSPCA)“He’s come such a long way from the scared and nervous dog he was when he arrived at the centre back in January 2021.

Researchers found breed explained only around 9% of the variation in how a dog behaved (Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto)While the team found ancestry can affect behaviour to an extent, it’s much less than many might think.

Overall, the study is a reminder that pet owners (particularly those looking to find a clone-like stand-in for old companions ) are better off choosing dogs based on their individuality and behaviors, not their breeding.

Dr Elinor Karlsson of the University of Massachusetts Umass Chan medical school, a co-author of the study, said research revealed a huge diversity of behaviours within each breed.“Even if the average is different, you’ve still got a really good chance of getting a dog that doesn’t match what people say that breed is supposed to be,” she said.

Bill Lambert, Health, of The Kennel Club, said: ‘This new tool, funded in part by The Kennel Club Charitable Trust VetCompass grant, helps us understand and determine more accurately a dog’s life expectancy given different factors throughout their lives, instead of just based on historic breed estimates.

Dog thefts hit a record high last year (Image: Getty) Map of dog thefts in UK (Image: Express)Kent Police received 182, Lancashire Constabulary had 116 and South Yorkshire Police had 100.French Bulldogs, which are the second most popular breed in the UK, are one of the most commonly stolen dogs, along with Jack Russell Terriers.

(Image: STEVE MORAN)Mr Moran said trainers are using methods that are doing little to stem the rise in dog attacks that has been partly driven by the rise in first-time dog owners.First-time owners not knowing how to train certain breeds has partly fuelled the rise in dog attacks (Image: GETTY).

But the traditional French bulldog isn’t the worst example - vets have warned that these dodgy dog breeders are creating animals with even worse health outcomes.The breeders create unique breeds of dog (Image: Getty).

Flat-faced dogs such as pugs often suffer from a host of health complications (Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto)French bulldogs and pugs could be banned in the UK after a pet charity vowed to fight a ‘vicious cycle of over-breeding’.

Breeding of pugs and bulldogs could soon be banned in the UK (Image: Getty)Over the last two years, vets from the Blue Cross have claimed to have treated more than 5,000 brachycephalic pets for dangerous health problems.