John Leech MP Calls For Ban On Tail Docking Of Dogs

3.52.06pm UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 10th Mar 2006

Lib Dem MP for Manchester Withington John Leech will be voting to prohibit the painful and unnecessary practice of tail docking of dogs when the Animal Welfare Bill is debated in the House of Commons on Tuesday 14th March.

Docking is the surgical amputation of all or most of a dog's tail, which is currently legal only if undertaken by a vet. However, all the professional veterinary bodies in the country are united in opposition to the practice, which they believe is unethical and unnecessary, and should be banned by Parliament.

John Leech MP said:

"I have many constituents calling for a ban on this mutilation, which is still widely carried out because some people bizarrely believe certain breeds of dogs look better without their tails. Or because they think docking might help prevent serious injury to working dogs' tails in the future - a scenario that is impossible to predict when a puppy is just a few days old."

"There is no evidence to suggest that any type of dog is any more prone to tail damage than another, nor can there be a guarantee that a puppy will grow up to be a working dog. Furthermore, there can never be a guarantee that a dog will ever injure itself severely enough to warrant the drastic option of amputating its tail - an important aid to balance and communication."

This view is shared by the RSPCA, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, the British Veterinary Association, the British Small Animal Veterinary Association and a host of other animal welfare organisations.

Tail docking is traditionally carried out on very young puppies of certain breeds, such as Boxers, Dobermans, Springer Spaniels, Rottweilers and Wiemaraners. The tails of other dogs, including those traditionally used as working dogs such as German Shepherds, Labradors and Border Collies, remain entire.

"The arguments in support of tail docking dogs' tails do not follow any logic, nor are they based on sound animal welfare practice," says Tim Miles, RSPCA Chief Veterinary Advisor. "Tradition has shaped which type of puppies have their tails amputated and which do not."

"It is now time this brutal and outdated tradition was stopped once and for all, and we hope John Leech MP's commitment helps achieve a total ban on tail docking of dogs, when the House of Commons votes on the issue next Tuesday."

End...

Notes to editors

Visit the RSPCA website for information about tail docking of dogs:

www.rspca.org.uk/animalwelfarebill

· Docking is a surgical amputation, which involves cutting or crushing a puppy's skin, muscles, up to seven pairs of nerves and bone and cartilage, and is performed without anaesthetic when pups are just three to five days old.

· Very young puppies can feel pain, and there is scientific evidence to show that pain experienced by them may be felt more intensely than in adult dogs. There is no scientific evidence to say that any breed of dog is more prone to tail injury than any other, nor can there be a guarantee that any puppy will grow up to become a working dog.