Skye terriers facing extinction

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The Herald

By Chris Watt

MUCH-LOVED dog-breeds could disappear completely from Britain unless immediate action is taken, according to a leading breeding organisation.

Skye terriers, popularised by the story of Greyfriars Bobby, are particularly at risk and could be wiped out within decades.
Sue Breeze, of The British and Irish Dog Breeds Preservation Trust, warned: "It's quite feasible that within thirty years Skye terriers could die out, and you'd only ever see one in a book. It's very sad, they are part of our heritage."

Just 30 of the famous Scottish breed were registered with the Kennel Club last year, compared with more than 16,000 labradors. The Skye Terrier Club estimates that there are now only around 50 or 60 of the dogs alive in Scotland.

Mike Taylor is the Scottish secretary of the Skye Terriers Club, representing around 40 members in Scotland and with a further 100 elsewhere in the UK. He claims fashion had led to a downturn in the number of Skye terriers being sought.

Speaking from Skye, he said: "No doubt about it, the numbers have gone down in the last few years and I think it's fashion. People see these foreign breeds and they want one. Unfortunately, it seems to be terriers that have fallen out of fashion."

The breed is renowned for its loyalty and obedience, and has recently starred in a Disney production of the classic Greyfriars Bobby. In the Scottish legend, a Skye terrier is said to have guarded his master's grave for ten years, being fed by the locals who named him.