Commentary
Kudos to Kristen Green Seymour, who took on the challenge to share the bent of several topics Emma Milne, BVSc, FRCVS, covers in this video interview. Like her, we recommend this article and video as “required” for all animal health pros. We found reading the article while listening to it was most helpful.
It doesn’t matter which side you’re on. This discussion will challenge thinking and industry practices prevalent in dog and cat breeding, shelter policies and animal welfare policies. It also questions where veterinarians are or can be involved to reduce the number of dogs and cats being born to suffer from extreme conformation or surgical procedures performed for aesthetic reasons.
Source: AAHA Trends, August 13, 2025. Link. [30:57]
INSIGHTS: Milne’s comments about supply and demand for popular breeds are worth noting, as are those about the lack of decision diligence when choosing a dog or cat. For shelters full of animals, there may be more incentives to place an animal than to execute a disciplined adoption process.
I’ve often likened getting a puppy to buying a gun or getting a tattoo, you know? You need to have a cooling off period . . . people spend longer choosing what shoes they’re going to buy than what puppy they’re going to buy.” – Emma Milne, BVSc, FRCVS