Gaia Campaign Lets Public Feel Pain of Hyper-Typed Animals

Animal rights organization GAIA has launched an interactive summer tour across Belgium, inviting the public to experience the physical suffering endured by hyper-typed dog and cat breeds through VR headsets and specialized breathing masks. The campaign, dubbed “De Ziekste Collectie” (The Sickest Collection), is visiting 12 Belgian cities from July 22 to August 8, 2026, to raise awareness about the health consequences of extreme selective breeding.

What Are Hyper-Typed Animals?

Hyper-typed animals are breeds that have been selectively bred over generations for exaggerated physical traits driven by fashion and aesthetics rather than health. French Bulldogs with severely flattened snouts, Persian cats with extreme facial flattening, German Shepherds with sloping backs, and Scottish Fold cats with folded cartilage ears are among the most affected breeds. These traits cause chronic health problems including brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome, eye disorders, spinal and joint issues, skin infections, and neurological conditions.

According to RTBF, the campaign aims to bridge a significant awareness gap. Sébastien de Jonge, Director of Operations at GAIA, explained: “This issue is very little known. We did an opinion survey showing that more than half of people know nothing about the hyper-type phenomenon and the associated health problems.”

An Immersive Street Experience

The interactive tour features a converted bus where visitors can try a VR headset simulating the blurred vision of a Persian cat, and a mask that recreates the breathing difficulties of brachycephalic breeds like French Bulldogs and Pugs. Participants reported visceral reactions. One woman, after experiencing the VR simulation, described it as “all blurry, it becomes blurry as if there were little waves.” Alessio, 20, who tried the breathing mask, said: “I’m struggling. I’m suffocating, I feel oppressed.”

As reported by GAIA’s official campaign page, the tour is visiting Brussels, Leuven, Ostend, Charleroi, Namur, Hasselt, Antwerp, Ghent, Eupen, Arlon, Liège, and Louvain-la-Neuve. The experience left a lasting impression on participants, with Ryan telling reporters: “I feel compassion for these animals… Often we see them, we think they’re cute, but we don’t realize that just for our visual pleasure, they suffer.”

Public Opinion and the High Cost of Breeding

GAIA commissioned a survey by Dedicated in May 2026 among 2,600 Belgians aged 18 and over, which revealed that 24% of owners of hyper-typed breeds reported their animals had required veterinary care due to breed-related physical characteristics. The survey also found that 89% of respondents want to limit reproduction when animal health is at stake, and 87% support a progressive limitation of breeding hyper-typed breeds.

The financial burden on owners is substantial. A Times investigation cited by RTBF found that nostril and palate correction surgeries for Bulldogs cost between €1,500 and €3,500. An RTBF investigation from October 2025 documented a Hainaut couple that paid nearly €9,000 in veterinary bills over four years. As de Jonge noted: “Not only are you risking making the animal suffer its entire life, but you are also going to have veterinary costs that are sometimes very significant.”

Belgium’s Divergent Regulatory Landscape

The regulatory situation in Belgium is uneven. Flanders already has a code prohibiting breeding, commercialization, and possession of certain breeds with severe genetic anomalies, as outlined in the Flemish Animal Welfare Code. Wallonia, however, has no equivalent legislation. The Walloon Animal Welfare Council called for better regulation in a 2023 opinion, noting that “Wallonia is confronted with the problems of deleterious phenotypes… which are the consequence of fashion effects and a lack of long-term vision.”

The Walloon Minister President’s cabinet has stated that revision of the Walloon Animal Welfare Code is a priority, with a preliminary draft decree being finalized that will include provisions concerning minimum breeding age, litter frequency, hereditary conditions, and hypertypes. GAIA has expressed frustration, with de Jonge stating: “In Wallonia, no measures have been taken. We are still waiting for impetus from the Minister President.”

Veterinarians Advocate a Balanced Approach

Fabienne Marchand, Vice-President of the Union Professionnelle Vétérinaire, told RTBF that the veterinary profession does not advocate blanket bans on most breeds. “If there is suffering, then there must be a ban,” she said, citing Scottish Fold cats as an example. “But for the rest, we call for two things: first, awareness among citizens about the fashion effect of certain animals… Second, it is possible, in the majority of breeds, to go back.” Marchand noted that some breeders are already working to return to healthier standards, producing Bulldogs with less extreme facial features.

What Lies Ahead

With international precedents set by the Netherlands, Norway, and Germany, and growing public support for regulation, pressure is mounting on Wallonia to act. The question remains whether the region will adopt specific breed bans or a more moderate approach focused on breeding standards. Meanwhile, reports indicate the European Union is considering legislation against hyper-typed dogs and cats, which could ultimately create a unified framework across member states.

For now, GAIA’s summer tour continues its journey across Belgium, leaving participants with a sobering message: the animals we consider fashionable pay the price for our aesthetic preferences.