THE WORLD THIS WEEK: Pedigree’s life of pain

Lots of dogs which are specially bred for their looks are living in pain, according to a special investigation. Researchers for a BBC programme found the ways some dogs are bred can cause them serious health problems. They found pugs who couldn’t breathe properly, spaniels with brains too big for their skulls and boxers suffering from fits.

Pedigree Dogs Exposed says dogs suffering from illnesses passed down through families are not stopped from competing in dog shows and have won ‘best in breed’, even though they’re not very healthy.