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Dog shows are fuelling misogyny, animal activists have said as they slammed breeders who enter dogs in canine "beauty pageants" and force them to have puppies.

In a blog post called "You Can't Be a Feminist And Buy a Dog", Peta's American branch examined the root of the insult "bitch" and said it described an "illicit sex trade" of dogs.

It reads: "Have you ever been called a 'bitch'? 'Bitch,' of course, meaning a female dog. Apparently, it’s supposed to be an insult.

"Perhaps that’s because, in breeders’ circles, female dogs’ main purposes are to win beauty pageants and then to be bred repeatedly until their bodies wear out."

If you buy a dog, you are "funding sexual exploitation" and cannot be called a feminist, Peta said.

It comes after a an animal rights protestor stormed Crufts arena earlier this month saying the show promoted "eugenics".

The blog post describes puppy mills where dogs are "trapped in a nightmare sickeningly similar to the illicit sex trade", adding: "Their bodies are controlled, manipulated, bought, and sold—all for the financial benefit of their peddlers."

Crufts 2018 - In pictures 22 show all Crufts 2018 - In pictures 1/22 Lola, a 4 year old St Bernard arrives with its owner on the first day of the Crufts dog show at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham AFP/Getty Images 2/22 A group of Dogue de Bordeaux working dogs stand together as their owner arrives for the Crufts dog show at the NEC Arena Getty Images 3/22 Merlin an Old English Sheep dog is groomed by his owner, during the first day of Crufts 2018 at the NEC in Birmingham PA 4/22 Ink, a Welsh Corgie is groomed during the first day of Crufts 2018 at the NEC in Birmingham PA 5/22 A dog owner arrives with their dog on the first day of the Crufts dog show at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham AFP/Getty Images 6/22 An owner pats her Great Dane on the first day of the Crufts dog show AFP/Getty Images 7/22 Dogs and their owner arrive for the first day of Crufts 2018 at the NEC in Birmingham PA 8/22 A Boxer looks out from its stall on the first day of the Crufts dog show at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham AFP/Getty Images 9/22 A Komondor dog, also known as an Hungarian sheepdog, during the first day of Crufts PA 10/22 A woman walks with her Great Dane as she arrives for the Crufts dog show at the NEC Arena Getty Images 11/22 An Old English Sheep dog during the first day of Crufts 2018 at the NEC in Birmingham PA 12/22 An owner kisses her Great Dane on the first day of the Crufts dog show at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham AFP/Getty Images 13/22 A woman with an Old English Sheep Dog waits for the start of the first day of the Crufts Dog Show in Birmingham Reuters 14/22 An Old English Sheep dog lays on a table during the first day of Crufts 2018 at the NEC in Birmingham PA 15/22 A dog owner arrives with their dog on the first day of the Crufts dog show at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham AFP/Getty Images 16/22 A dog owner arrives with their dogs on the first day of the Crufts dog show at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham AFP/Getty Images 17/22 A dog wears a zebra print coat as it arrives with its owner arrive for the first day of Crufts 2018 at the NEC in Birmingham PA 18/22 A dog wears a rain jacket as it arrives with its owner arrive for the first day of Crufts 2018 at the NEC in Birmingham PA 19/22 Saint Bernard dogs arrive for the first day of the Crufts Dog Show in Birmingham Reuters 20/22 Tina Lowes hugs her Shetland Sheepdog as she arrives for the Crufts dog show at the NEC Arena Getty Images 21/22 An Old English Sheepdog peers from within a bus shelter as it's owner arrives for the Crufts dog show at the NEC Arena on March 8, 2018 in Birmingham Getty Images 22/22 A Saint Bernard dog arrives for the first day of the Crufts Dog Show in Birmingham Reuters 1/22 Lola, a 4 year old St Bernard arrives with its owner on the first day of the Crufts dog show at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham AFP/Getty Images 2/22 A group of Dogue de Bordeaux working dogs stand together as their owner arrives for the Crufts dog show at the NEC Arena Getty Images 3/22 Merlin an Old English Sheep dog is groomed by his owner, during the first day of Crufts 2018 at the NEC in Birmingham PA 4/22 Ink, a Welsh Corgie is groomed during the first day of Crufts 2018 at the NEC in Birmingham PA 5/22 A dog owner arrives with their dog on the first day of the Crufts dog show at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham AFP/Getty Images 6/22 An owner pats her Great Dane on the first day of the Crufts dog show AFP/Getty Images 7/22 Dogs and their owner arrive for the first day of Crufts 2018 at the NEC in Birmingham PA 8/22 A Boxer looks out from its stall on the first day of the Crufts dog show at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham AFP/Getty Images 9/22 A Komondor dog, also known as an Hungarian sheepdog, during the first day of Crufts PA 10/22 A woman walks with her Great Dane as she arrives for the Crufts dog show at the NEC Arena Getty Images 11/22 An Old English Sheep dog during the first day of Crufts 2018 at the NEC in Birmingham PA 12/22 An owner kisses her Great Dane on the first day of the Crufts dog show at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham AFP/Getty Images 13/22 A woman with an Old English Sheep Dog waits for the start of the first day of the Crufts Dog Show in Birmingham Reuters 14/22 An Old English Sheep dog lays on a table during the first day of Crufts 2018 at the NEC in Birmingham PA 15/22 A dog owner arrives with their dog on the first day of the Crufts dog show at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham AFP/Getty Images 16/22 A dog owner arrives with their dogs on the first day of the Crufts dog show at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham AFP/Getty Images 17/22 A dog wears a zebra print coat as it arrives with its owner arrive for the first day of Crufts 2018 at the NEC in Birmingham PA 18/22 A dog wears a rain jacket as it arrives with its owner arrive for the first day of Crufts 2018 at the NEC in Birmingham PA 19/22 Saint Bernard dogs arrive for the first day of the Crufts Dog Show in Birmingham Reuters 20/22 Tina Lowes hugs her Shetland Sheepdog as she arrives for the Crufts dog show at the NEC Arena Getty Images 21/22 An Old English Sheepdog peers from within a bus shelter as it's owner arrives for the Crufts dog show at the NEC Arena on March 8, 2018 in Birmingham Getty Images 22/22 A Saint Bernard dog arrives for the first day of the Crufts Dog Show in Birmingham Reuters

Although breeders produce fewer litters than puppy mills, it said, they still "treat female dogs as moneymaking commodities".

And, it adds, "Even 'hobby breeders' force female dogs to bear litter after litter of puppies, who will be taken away and sold off for a quick buck."

​Peta has voiced opposition to Crufts and other dog shows on multiple occasions, however the idea that they are anti-feminist is newer.

The group calls on people to adopt from shelters and never buy from a puppy mill or breeder.

A spokeswoman for the Kennel Club, which runs Crufts, defended the show in comments to the Times to say it featured a balance of male and female dogs, many of which were simply people's pets.

Caroline Kisko, secretary of the Kennel Club, said breeders should adhere to the Animal Welfare Act while buyers should "do their research and go to a responsible breeder".