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What’s the deal with tail docking?
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2011/01/01
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The controversial issue of tail docking just won’t go away. Just to make sure, we’ve re-investigated what the current legal standing is. Here are the facts.
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What is docking?
- Docking involves the amputation of the puppy’s tail with scissors, a scalpel or rubber bands. The amputation goes through the skin, cartilage and bone, at the point in the tail which is traditional for that specific breed. For instance, in German Shorthaired Pointers, the tail is docked by two-fifths to half of its length, while in Jack Russell Terriers (KUSA) it is docked to be level with the ears.
- Docking is normally done at three to five days old without general anaesthetic, but may be done with a local anaesthetic.
- At least 17 dog breeds, including the Corgi and Australian Shepherd, have naturally occurring bob tail lines. These appear similar to docked dogs but are distinct naturally occurring genotypes which produce a short tail. The issue of docking is not relevant to these natural bob tails.
Who supports freedom of docking choice?
- The Docked Breeds Association of South Africa, which represents a number of breeders of traditionally docked dog breeds, says tail docking is a preventative measure to contain tail injuries. It also considers tail docking as not illegal in SA and supports it stance in detail on its website. www.sagateway.com/users/owlsrest/DockedBreedsAssoc. It campaigns for breeders to have the choice to dock or not to dock their puppies.
- A number of breeders who are not officially affiliated with the Docked Breeds Association, but nonetheless support freedom of choice for breeders.
- Internationally, the Council of Docked Breeds, www.cdb.org, campaigns to protect the freedom to choose the tail docking option. Based in the UK, it is a non-profit making organisation manned by dog breeders. Similar associations exist in New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the USA, among others.
- Most sports associations who use working dog breeds in their sport (such as The Southern African Wingshooters Association www.wingshooters.co.za) support breeders’ freedom of choice to dock.
Who is against docking?
- The World Small Veterinary Association, which represents veterinary associations in 76 countries, totaling over 70 000 vets, considers the amputation of dogs' tails to be “an unnecessary surgical procedure and contrary to the welfare of the dog”. It recommends that docking be phased out of all breed Standards, and recommends that docking be made illegal except for professionally diagnosed therapeutic reasons, and only then by suitably qualified persons, such as registered veterinarians, under conditions of anaesthesia that minimise pain and stress. www.wsava.org/Taildock.htm
- The SA Veterinary Council, as the statutory body which governs all matters veterinary in SA, no longer condones tail docking and has made it illegal for vets to dock tails for anything but medical reasons. To quote their website “Veterinarians who perform tail docking, unless for justifiable medical reasons, will be liable for prosecution under the Animal Protection Act no 71 of 1962. Veterinarians found guilty under this act, will automatically be investigated for unprofessional conduct by the SAVC under the Veterinary and Para-Veterinary Professions Act, 1982.” www.savc.co.za SAVC actively encourages pet owners to comply by asking the following support from the public: “You can help the SAVC implement the decision by doing the following: Do not buy puppies without tails. Insist that the breeder from whom you buy your dogs does not dock tails.
- Encourage your dog club or organisation to stop advocating tail docking.” SAVC’s website also states that it can find no medical or animal welfare reason for routinely docking dogs’ tails
- The South African Veterinary Association, the voluntary association of vets, supports SAVC’s decision.
What is ‘surgery’?
- The Veterinary And Para-Veterinary Professions Amendment Act, 1993 states in clause 2(d) that it is illegal for anyone who is NOT registered with SAVC to perform “any act which has as its purpose diagnosing, treating or preventing any pathological condition in any animal or which constitutes a surgical operation on any animal”. [Ed’s note: only trained and qualified veterinarians or para-veterinarian professionals can be registered with SAVC.] This is one of the many points at which the waters get murky: does tail docking constitute a “surgical operation” for the purpose of “preventing a pathological condition”? SAVA and SAVC say yes, while some proponents of tail docking say it is not a surgical operation.
- ‘Surgical procedure’ is defined by Webster as ‘a medical procedure involving an incision with instruments, performed to repair damage or arrest disease in a living body.’
 Who is caught in the middle?
- The potential pet owner. Some are worried that they should no longer adopt docked dogs. (This is not true. SAVC’s decision only pertains to new puppies) Others want a puppy from a breed who is traditionally docked, but struggle to find undocked puppies. Conversely, some want a docked puppy and struggle to find breeders who still dock the breed.
- The Kennel Union of South Africa. As a body which represents breeders of both docked and undocked breeds, KUSA is walking a fine line to keep both sides happy. None of KUSA’s breed standards for the show ring currently requires a docked tail (with one exception, the Black Terrier), meaning breed standards for traditionally docked breeds allow docked or undocked tails in the show ring. The KUSA’s official stance is as follows: “A thorough search of the government gazettes since the 2nd June, 2006 resolution taken by the SAVC to declare tail docking an unethical procedure for veterinarians has revealed no Ministerial notice confirming the approval of this resolution and the KUSA’s legal advice confirms that Ministerial approval is required in terms of Section 30 of the Veterinary and Para-veterinary Professionals Act, 1982. KUSA’s point of view is that humane veterinary procedures must remain available to all dog owners at all times for any treatment the owner or breeder deems necessary and the KUSA supports the right of choice for the individual, be it breeder, dog owner or practicing veterinarian.”
- Animaltalk, and our sister publication Dog Directory. Some of our advertisers breed traditionally docked breeds and continue to dock. Some of them take offence at articles such as this one and refuse to continue advertising. Others are vehemently anti-docking, and take offence that we don’t take a stronger stance against docking. Similarly, our readers have strong views on tail docking. Our stance was, and will continue to be, that we will not encourage tail docking as part of responsible pet ownership. Having said that, we believe responsible pet ownership encompasses a whole lot more than tail docking, as it includes issues like proper general care and nutrition. We therefore do not equate irresponsible breeding with tail docking, but as a publication that promotes responsible pet ownership we follow the guidelines set by the SA Veterinary Council and advocate legal veterinary medicine and procedures. We have a duty to inform our readers of the factual situation and therefore cannot encourage tail docking. We continue to support the responsible breeding and showing of pedigree dogs, and the education of all pet owners in responsible pet ownership. We unequivocally support adoption of animals from shelters, whether those animals are docked or undocked.
Are you a responsible pet owner?
Animaltalk and Dog Directory have compiled a Code of Conduct for responsible pet owners. By signing this document, you as a pet owner will receive a certificate stating that you abide by a Code of Conduct that is designed to reflect the latest thinking in animal welfare and pet care standards. It is available on www.epets.co.za
What’s your view? Go to our poll on the home page and tell us.
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