The BBC has been hit with backlash surrounding animal cruelty concerns over its new show called Will My Puppies Make Me Rich.
The commissioned programme that is set to look into the designer puppy trade and young Brits wanting to start businesses selling posh pooches, has sparked fury among animal rights activists who have called for the show to be scrapped.
A synopsis for the controversial puppy breeding documentary reads, 'With prospects looking grim, aspirational social media savvy individuals in the North are learning the ropes when it comes to breeding, and capitalising on the demand for designer dogs.'
The show is also said to 'explore and discuss what constitutes good and bad practice in the world of dog breeding.'
BBC3 controller Fiona Campbell gave the programme the go ahead and has backed the coverage of young, wannabe entrepreneurs trying to make money within the puppy breeding trade.
"We went for it because we love ideas that are aspirational and the business angle baked into this against felt really timely and ambitious," Cambell said.
Now, the RSPCA has teamed up with various other animal welfare charities, such as the Royal Veterinary College, Dogs Trust and the British Veterinary Association, in order to urge the BBC to scrap the show.
"We’re aware of this programme and are concerned that it is extremely irresponsible to encourage and glamorise breeding as a ‘get rich quick’ scheme which, in turn, could lead to serious dog welfare issues and fuel the illegal puppy trade," an RSPCA spokesperson said.
"Along with a number of other animal welfare and veterinary organisations who shared our concerns, we’ve written a joint letter to the programme creators and BBC Three urging them to rethink."
Meanwhile, Lucy's Law founder Marc Abraham told the Mirror, "I join fellow animal welfare campaigners and dog-lovers across the UK in being deeply concerned that this programme is not only ill-conceived and exploitative to animals, but potentially dangerous too.
"I sincerely hope BBC THREE rethinks this terrible idea which only helps to normalise and encourage dog breeding for money; they listen to their license fee-paying animal-lovers across the country, and seriously consider their future plans regarding this show, hopefully choosing a much more responsible, acceptable, and ethical concept to take its place in our TV guides."
