Bullying and breed standards are same thing

Bullying means “to affect by means of force or coercion,” according to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary.

These definitions easily apply to the whole concept of breed standards, in which owners are forced to make their animals look like some description formulated by a few people for those animals to be registered as part of that breed and judged well at shows.

Never mind that the formulation of these breed standards often is less about producing a quality animal than it is about soothing certain factions’ insecurities. Unsure about their own animals’ worth, these “elected” officials (often elected by voting for each other) set breed standards to mirror what their own animals look like, so their animals are assured the upper hand as breeding stock when the new rules are in place.

What breed standards ultimately do is ostracize animals that already are genetically a part of that breed group and treat them like lesser individuals because they do not fit some physical description created by arrogant people.

It prevents those animals from being part of their own genetic heritage and often from being bred.

How is that even an ounce different than bullying?

How is saying a horse can’t be tall and gangly or refined or any other body type any different than all the playground taunts we all remember so well? It’s grade school all over again: “Be like us, or we’re going to make your life miserable.”

It’s the same game that’s led to a spate of recent bullying stories in the headlines, and the same tactics that have prompted states across the country to clamp down on the behavior by setting stricter anti-bullying laws. But, these initiatives apply only to humans. No one is looking out for the animals.

In the Connemara world, a horse that is too refined, or pretty, is rejected in the inspection process as not being the right type and is not allowed in the official Stud Book. In Ireland, this prevents a horse from being registered at all and effectively prevents it from being bred. America hasn’t gone that far. But, the American society frequently runs a list of “approved” Connemaras in its magazine, as if to say all the other horses are not “real” Connemaras.

Can you imagine? A genetic Connemara doesn’t get the same treatment or have the same rights as “approved” Connemaras, and for many animals, it’s because they’re too pretty?

In the dog world, for Rhodesian Ridgebacks, not having a ridge is means rejection and, often, death. In the United Kingdom, a recent BBC report highlighted the fact that Ridgeback puppies were being killed at the urging of the breed society because they didn’t have ridges, which actually is a genetic defect. The Ridgeback society WANTS them killed.

Someone please explain the difference to me between that and bullying? Actually, I think the BBC aptly called that genocide.

The bullying needs to stop. It used to be called racism. This country took far too long to address that problem but finally came around.

Now, there are many additional forms of bullying, mirroring the cultural melting pot of the country, and at least legislators finally are taking a second look at prejudice and hate crimes among children.

Now, it’s time for animal lovers to come together and tackle the problem in the four-legged world. Join me to bring change against this negative and unevolved practice.