New code for tail docking on dogs

A new animal welfare code has been released, part of which allows for tail docking of puppies who are less than four days old.

The official document, released by the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC), allows for removal of tails by a person who possesses the appropriate knowledge, training and competency necessary to do so effectively.

For puppies older than four days, tail docking must be done by a veterinarian.

New Zealand Veterinary Association (NZVA) animal welfare coordinator Dr Virginia Williams approves of the code, as it is a measure to improve the welfare of dogs, but doesn’t “see any good reason for docking a dog’s tail”.

Dr Williams said the New Zealand Kennel Club (NZKC) has guidelines on tail docking that include hygiene, convenience and tradition.

“Most of the traditional reasons that are given don’t apply because many of the dogs are not now used for the purposes that they were originally bred,” Dr Williams said

President of NZKC John Perfect said a number of dog breeds have their tails docked for various reasons.

“When we talk about docking tails, there is no specific group [of dogs] that is targeted for that purpose, or where that practice has been carried out traditionally.”

There are a number of working dogs, such as Old English Sheep dogs, Australian Cattle dogs and Pembroke Corgies that have been docked for different reasons but because they have been around for hundreds of years, the original reason(s) for docking are unknown, said Perfect.

Dr Williams said there are side effects of tail docking, such as infection, haemorrhage and sensitivity to pain.

“Although there are indications that the sense of pain is minimal when they’re just a few days old, there is also indication that if you do something like that when they are very young, it sensitizes them to pain later on.”

Perfect said tail docking provides protection for dogs that are used continuously for working or sporting related activities, such as some Terrier breeds and gun dogs.

Tail docking on dogs is banned in many countries, including Austria, Belgium, France, Netherlands, Scotland, South Africa and India.