The Irwins have been slammed after promoting a certain breed of dog on their social media.
Robert Irwin took to Instagram recently in a joint post with the account of the family's pet pug, Stella.
The video showed the pooch roaming around various sites at Australia Zoo.
However not everyone was enamoured of Stella, with some followers taking the opportunity to complain about the health issues inherent in the dog's breed.
‘Stop breeding pugs, they are a detriment to themselves,' one user wrote, sparking fierce debate in the comments.
The Irwins have been slammed after promoting a certain breed of dog on their social media. Robert Irwin took to Instagram recently in a joint post with the account of the family's pet pug, Stella. Both pictured
The video showed the pug roaming around various sites at Australia Zoo. Many fans expressed their joy at the cute dog's adventures, but some followers took the opportunity to complain about the health issues of the dog's breed
‘Not all pugs have health issues. When they have a good pedigree they are perfectly healthy. But the black market is destroying that,' another commenter responded.
However, Instagram user ‘Dollytrev' took issue with this reply, claiming that while not all pugs have health issues, ‘over 95% of them benefit from BOAS [Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome] surgery.'
Because of their specific bred-in physical traits, pugs often have anatomical issues that restrict their breathing.
‘Not all pugs have health issues. When they have a good pedigree they are perfectly healthy. But the black market is destroying that,' one commenter wrote
Typically, BOAS surgery involves widening the nostrils, shortening the soft palate and removing excessive tissue around the larynx to increase airflow.
Dollytrev continued, ‘The Irwins really shouldn’t be promoting brachycephalic breeds. I know they care about animals, so I do wonder what cognitive dissonance is going on here for them to have one.'
But another Irwin defender took issue with this line of questioning: ‘In what world are they promoting a short snout breed by posting a cute video of their dog? It's not like they breed them. They have had Stella for years.'
Because of their specific bred-in physical traits, pugs often have anatomical issues that restrict their breathing. Typically, BOAS surgery involves widening the nostrils, shortening the soft palate and removing excessive tissue around the larynx to increase airflow
‘Normalising these breeds by posting “cute” pics of them is inadvertently promoting them,' the other user shot back.
‘Pugs exist regardless of the Irwin's influence. They're allowed to post a cute video of their dog. I'm sure Stella lives a wonderful life roaming around their properties and zoo,' came another reply.
‘They just took a video of their dog are you PETA or something?' wrote another follower, to which one of the Irwin critics replied, ‘if i was PETA I would be calling for a culling of pugs.'
Earlier this month, Irwin matriarch Terri also posed with Stella in recognition of National Pet Day.
