I fail to see how the current provisions in the Animal Welfare Bill, which
allow for specific exemptions, would lead to a significant improvement in
the current situation. Docking of a dog's tail, except when there is a
clear clinical justification, can only be described as a mutilation in the
same league as cosmetic ear cropping. It is unacceptable in today's society
that such a procedure may be carried out for cosmetic reasons or for
spurious practical ones.
As a veterinarian, I personally only carry out docking of a dog's tail on
clinical grounds. There are good welfare and clinical arguments against
routine tail docking. As the owner of a rescue Doberman with a poorly
docked tail I daily see the health and behavioural effects of this legacy. I
have yet to hear an argument for docking that either cannot easily be
countered or does not apply equally to traditionally undocked breeds such as
Dalmatians or Great Danes. The Animal Welfare Bill should contain
provisions that clearly ban this procedure unless essential for therapeutic
purposes and avoid the obvious loopholes that will otherwise exist.
Yours faithfully

Miss H C Groves-de-Milleret BVM&S MRCVS

Back to Vets Against Docking Site