Prioritization of Appearance over Health and Temperament Is Detrimental to the Welfare of Purebred Dogs and Cats.

Fashions in the appearance of purebred dogs and cats are encouraged by celebrity culture, social media, and online impulse buying. The popularity of characteristics perceived as cute, quirky, and anthropomorphic has driven increasingly exaggerated breed features appealing to aesthetics rather than health. 'Hypertypes' of some breeds have emerged that take a breed's distinctive appearance to extremes beyond the intended interpretation of breed standards.