Docking of Dogs’ Tails
This is an excerpt from my ebook ‘Puppy Power- everything you need to know BEFORE you buy a puppy’ concerning the docking of dogs’ tails-
Docking involves removing the whole or part of a puppy’s tail when it is only 3-5 days old without the use of anaesthetic. Contrary to popular opinion, a puppy CAN feel pain at this age and will generally react with whimpering, squealing, wriggling the tail stump or whole body and sometimes urination.
You may wonder why such a practice would ever be condoned and the answer is that historically it was performed as a ‘prophylactic measure’ – to prevent the risk of the dog injuring its tail during future work. In more recent times it has become merely the fashion for certain breeds, such as the Rottweiler.
In England and Wales there is now a complete ban on the docking of dogs’ tails with the only exception being for a few particular types of working dog which require specific certification, or for certain medical treatment.
In Scotland there is a complete ban on tail docking and it is not allowed for any reason whatsoever.
In Northern Ireland docking can still be performed on puppies but for truly prophylactic reasons only, and not merely on request or just because a dog is of a particular breed or type.
In those parts of the UK where tail docking is still legal under certain circumstances, it is ONLY a qualified veterinary surgeon that may perform the procedure: the challenge, however, is often finding one who is willing to, since over 90% of vets strongly object to the practice.
Any animal naturally born with a tail relies on it for a number of things, including:
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In my opinion there is no justifiable reason for performing tail docking as a prophylactic measure since the dog experiences evident disadvantages and no genuine benefit. I am especially saddened when I see dogs which have been docked for purely fashionable reasons. I think dogs are most beautiful and magnificent with their tails, as nature intended them and would encourage anyone considering this practice (within the legal framework) to please, think again.
Despite the legislation in place, I am still seeing puppies at work that are docked, often without the owner even realising. If YOU want to buy a puppy with a full length tail, please make it your business to ask questions about your future puppy and make sure he or she is NOT docked before you buy. You have the power to make sure that puppies keep their tails as nature intended!
copyright Shanson Ltd 2008
September 30th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
I received your blog through a Google alert and it was good to see your comments.
A person commits an offence if— (a) he owns a subsection (3) dog, and (b) fails to take reasonable steps to secure that, before the dog is 3 months old, it is identified as a subsection (3) dog in accordance with regulations made by the appropriate national authority.
If you are still seeing docked puppies in the surgery could I ask you to report this fact (and the breeds) to the RCVS and to ask the owner from whom they bought the pup. I think it is important to point out to the owner the implications of buying a docked puppy as stated in section 8 of the AWA (England and Wales)
Explanatory note:-
31. Subsection (8) requires a person who owns a dog which was legitimately docked by a Vet to ensure that the dog is identified as having been legally docked. The owner will commit an offence if he does not take reasonable steps to ensure that his docked dog is so identified
Subsection (13)(b) allows the appropriate national authority to make regulations about the method of identification required, e.g. micro-chipping .
This means that in order to adhere to the law the owner of the puppy should be holding the Veterinary Certificate to say it was a lawful docking and for it to be microchipped.
Many people are still not aware of what docking entails and that a tail has been docked let alone those that have been “tip docked” (and this is certainly going on in the show scene)
The breeder of any pup/dog seen docked which would be expected to have a tail should be reported to their Local Authority for investigation.