A Dutch dog breeder has been ordered to pay a €3,000 fine for breeding bulldogs with excessively flat muzzles, which cause breathing difficulties in the animals.

The Dutch regulator NVWA, under the Ministry of Agriculture, said today that an inspection it carried out found that the crossbred French bulldogs had unnaturally flat noses and were breathing irregularly, even when they were still.

“To prevent reoffending, NVWA will also fine the breeder 1,500 each time an unsuitable parent is used in breeding” said the service, noting that fines can reach up to 9,000 euros.

It is the first time a fine has been imposed for such an offense in the Netherlands and marks another step by Dutch authorities to crack down on the selective breeding of animals so that their offspring have “strange” traits such as short noses or folded ears, which can cause discomfort or even illness to the animal.

Based on Dutch legislation, it is already prohibited to breed animals with characteristics that harm their health and welfare. Agriculture Minister Piet Adema said he was preparing a bill that would also ban the possession or advertising of all animals with traits proven to cause medical problems. A ministry spokeswoman said agencies are working to determine what those characteristics are and expects the bill to be introduced to parliament next year.

“In the meantime, the application of existing legislation will be intensified“, he added.

Dogs that may experience breathing problems due to the size of their noses are mainly pugs, boxers and chows.

Since 2014, the Netherlands has banned the breeding of the Scottish fold cat, which has folded ears due to a genetic mutation, as well as the hairless, short-legged Bambino cats.