WEBSITE

Name: Pierre
Year: 2025
Credentials: Pierre was a French bulldog who suffered major health issues due to irresponsable breeding. His story is used to raise awareness of other dogs of similar plight and has been made into a short movie 'Pierre's Tale'

Death: 2022

Induction Ceremony Year: 2026

DID

YOU

KNOW

Pierre was a TV Star with his own regular features on Made in Cardiff TV. The first was called ‘Pierre’s Adventures’ where he visited dog friendly places around the city of Cardiff. The other was called ‘Pierre’s Predictions’ where he would guess the results of local football and rugby fixtures
Pierre loved to visit the local pub and whenever he was out for a walk he would make a beeline for it, even though he was supposed to be going to the park!

Gallery

< Back

PIERRE

Pierre was a French bulldog, and although he was a little dog he had a very big personality – and sadly, even bigger health problems. Like most brachycephalic breeds, French bulldogs have a range of common health issues, such as breathing problems, skin problems, issues with their eyes, and back pain; and sadly Pierre experienced many of these first hand.

When he was just two years old Pierre had B.O.A.S surgery to open his airways to help him breathe, because the squashed Frenchie muzzle was stopping him from getting the oxygen he needed. The operation was a success, but less than two years later Pierre had to have surgery again. He had started to drag his back legs, and a scan showed that he had been born with deformed vertebrae, which were pushing on his spinal chord making it difficult to walk - an issue that is a common problem for French bulldogs. After the operation he underwent months of rehabilitation at a specialist centre where they gave him physio and complimentary therapies, like acupuncture, to ease the pain.

For a while Pierre seemed to be doing well, but he then started experiencing pain in his neck. Another scan showed he had slipped a disk, and vets believed this was a direct result of having to stabilise his back lower down where the deformed vertebra had been causing issues previously. Again he needed more surgery, which gave him a few more happy years, but ultimately the medication he took to keep him comfortable contributed to shortening his life, and in 2022 he died at the age of nine.

But Pierre will never be forgotten. His story lives on through the documentary film, Pierre’s Tale, which charts his life, and highlights the health problems French bulldogs face. It is presented by his owner, Mariclare Carey-Jones, who now campaigns for better regulation of brachycephalic breeds, such as French bulldogs, British bulldogs and pugs. Mariclare also uses Pierre’s story to make people think twice before buying French bulldogs. She says “Seeing the pain and suffering my gorgeous boy Pierre went through because of his breed meant I had to speak out. If you care about dogs do not buy a french bulldog”.

If just one dog is saved because of Pierre’s story, then his suffering will have been worth it.