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TV fame: owner Joan Siemieniowski and her boxer dog Zack appeared on TV
TV fame: owner Joan Siemieniowski and her boxer dog Zack appeared on TV

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‘I will never put my pet Zack down’


27/ 8/2008

A DOG lover is ruing her time in the spotlight after she appeared in a TV documentary about the health hazards pedigree dogs can suffer.

Joan Siemieniowski appeared with her boxer Zack on Pedigree Dogs Exposed.

The hard-hitting BBC show examined the level of inherited disease as well as welfare issues concerned with pedigrees. It was broadcast last week.

Zack suffers from epileptic fits and since the programme was shown Joan says she has been inundated with comments from people saying she should have had her three-year-old dog put down.

Joan, of Miller Street, Ashton — who bought Zack as a pup from a breeder in Yorkshire — said: "I walk Zack on St George’s playing fields every day and people have been coming up to me and saying that if these fits are so bad I should have Zack put down. People have been ringing up and even my brother rang me and said people have been told him Zack should be put to sleep.  But Zack only has a fit about one day a month — not all the time — and he is on a course of Keppra tablets which cost £200 a month.  I could never put him down. I didn’t have an inkling he had this problem when I bought him three years ago.  He had his first fit seven months after I bought him. A lot of people buy pedigree dogs to breed from them for money but I could never do that."

Joan, 55, has looked after dogs since she was a child and currently owns another boxer called Tasha, whom she bought last year and is healthy.


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Most recent 1 of 1 user comments

   I sympathise with this lady. As long as the dog is not sufferring and she maintains his treatment regime thne there is no reason to put him down. My wife and myself recently lost an Irsih wolfhound ad a Bloodhound to inherited problems. We didnt know they were inherited until we researched the most common recent casues of deaths for the animals. They were happy dogs running arounf on the farm here. They have 5 acres to run. We have 2 3 year old pups from the bloodhound. We didnt know she was pregnant when we rescued her. And they appear ok but.... een after a vet check you dont know what might develop. But anyway. I have seen many dogs in the shelters here such as pugs english bulldogs with breathing problmes and the fault isnt with the people who own them like this lady the problem comes from the Pedigree registration and standards. For example. We have a pure lab pup again rescued. But ... he has white spots on his feet so... although pure hes worthless as a pedegree so would have been put down becasue you cant show him. Hes adorable. SO .. really dnt blame the breaders blame the likes of Cruffs and the pedegree assosiations who demand the dogs conform to strict criteria. For example a boxers snount ( nose ) has to be of a certain lenght which has become shorter over the last 5 years. Why?? becasue thats what demanded by the judges at the shows. Good luck with Zack Ms Siemienioski Zack looks like a beautiful and happy dog !!
tbag, usa
6/09/2008 at 14:16
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