Email your MP asking the government to act on flat-faced breeding

Context

Flat-faced dogs often struggle to breathe, especially in heat or during exercise, and can face complications during birth. Flat-faced cats and rabbits suffer breathing, eye and dental problems, and a rabbit's overgrown teeth can grow into its tear ducts. The charity describes breeding for extreme features as having reached a crisis point.

The strategy

Lawmakers weigh how many constituents contact them about an issue, so each email from a constituent adds to the count they see from their area. This action sends a pre-written email to your local MP asking the government to act on breeding for flat faces.

Why it scored 40 points

Scale: Big

Rough estimate: well under 1 million flat-faced pets in the UK, since these breeds are popular but make up a small share of dogs and cats.

Severity: Serious

Breathing difficulties, eye problems and dental disease are serious and ongoing for affected animals, though the harm varies from animal to animal.

Chance of success: Plausible

No government decision on flat-faced breeding has been announced, so the outcome is genuinely open.

Your difference: Moderate

Participation is not published, and each email is a constituent message tallied by the MP, but because it is pre-written it carries less personal weight than an email in your own words.