Tesco unleashes vets’ anger at new French bulldog cake
TESCO has stirred up a cake row after a leading vet said flat-faced dogs should not be used to promote goods.
Daniella Dos Santos, of the British Veterinary Association (BVA), criticised the UK’S biggest supermarket for using Frankie the French bulldog for a cake.
She said that a breed with health problems should not promote goods. The £11 French Bulldog Cake is part of a range. It depicts a Madeira sponge puppy with buttercream, raspberry jam, icing and edible decorations.
But Ms Dos Santos has called on the chain to dump the French bulldog and “think health over looks”. The BVA and animal charities are persuading companies to avoid using flat-faced dog breeds, known as brachycephalic.
Ms Dos Santos said: “Breeds such as French bulldogs, pugs and bulldogs, often suffer life-limiting health issues, including breathing difficulties and eye and skin conditions and many owners are taking on these dogs without knowing about these problems.”
She said many brands are receptive to the Breed to Breathe campaign and use healthier breeds and crossbreeds.
Andrea Fletcher, at a Belfast vets’, posted a photo of the cake captioned “we didn’t know whether to eat it or start corrective surgery.” Tesco said: “Our Frankie the French bulldog cake is one of a number of animal inspired cakes in our range and proves popular.”