A FRENCH Bulldog is looking for his forever home after his owners couldn’t afford to pay for his life-saving surgery to help him breathe.

One-year-old Beau was taken into care at the RSPCA Hillingdon, Slough, Windsor, Kingston and District branch.

The owners couldn’t pay the expensive vets bill for the surgery he needed.

He required extensive surgery for prolapse and brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS), which is a group of conditions making it difficult for flat-faced dogs to breathe properly.

Thanks to the charity, the operation has widened his nostrils and remove excess tissue from his soft palate, improving his breathing.

 A surgery like this isn’t usually covered by insurers, and the RSPCA is seeing more flat-faced dogs come into care as the owners can’t afford treatment.

The charity has launched a new campaign, called Save Our Breath, urging the public not to buy breeds who can’t live normal lives due to the way they’ve been selectively bred.

READ MORE: Passengers able to use pay-as-you-go with contactless at Windsor & Eton Central

It comes as the number of British Bulldog puppies being registered with the Kennel Club increased by 149 per cent between 2011 and 2020, while the number of French Bulldogs registered soared by 1,317 per cent.

And this is also reflected in the number of Frenchie’s who are coming into RSPCA care having been abandoned or signed over, normally due to vet costs.

While Staffies are still the most popular breeds that are taken into care at the RSPCA, the numbers are slowly declining, while the number of Frenchies increased by 1,567 per cent from three in 2015 to 50 in 2020.

RSPCA chief vet Caroline Allen said: “Our desire for cuteness and the selection for shorter, flatter faces - known as brachycephaly - has resulted in dogs who struggle to breathe.

“Their excessive soft tissue causes obstruction in their airways and their abnormally narrowed nostrils and windpipes leave them gasping for air.

“Struggling to breathe, or even sleep is very distressing and affected dogs are struggling with this every day, with serious impacts on their welfare.”

Ms Allen added the dogs also face eye problems, skin concerns due to excessive wrinkles, and painful back conditions due to corkscrew tails.

She said: “We understand why there is so much love out there for these breeds.

“But it’s wrong that we’re knowingly breeding for features which compromise their basic health and welfare.”

The Save Our Breath campaign aims to educate the public about the impact of this type of breeding on dog welfare.

Beau is now looking for a new home, described as ‘vivacious, affectionate and very sociable’ by the RSPCA.

READ MORE: Look inside Slough's new Furniture Village

The charity said he’s happy living with another dog and with older children and he loves to go for walks but hates the rain.

The RSPCA is looking for new owners who understand the health problems associated with this breed and can manage the issues faced in the future.

Visit the RSPCA website to find out more about Beau.