A new law has been drafted that bans breeds with particular features that could cause harm to dogs, such as short legs and elongated spines, such as those typical of sausage dogs.

The German Kennel Club (VDH) has launched a petition to save the country’s “favourite dogs”, and has already garnered 12,500 signatures.

“A draft for a new animal protection law was published in February,” it said.

“Many of the proposed changes, such as regulating the online trade in animals or taking action against the illegal puppy trade, make sense.”

The VDH argues that the wording of “abnormalities of the skeletal system” in the draft law could be interpreted to mean “any significant size deviation” from wolves.

“This term can, for example, be assigned to the leg length of dachshunds…and other small dog breeds and these can be banned from breeding,” it said.

“The consequence would be that, for example, you would no longer be allowed to breed dachshunds in Germany.”