ailsas mum Posted February 7, 2007 Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 I have just got an e-mail from advocates for Animals saying that the Ban on tail docking in Scotland comes into force on 30th April 2007 Copy of news release. NEWS RELEASE Wednesday 7 February 2007 – For Immediate Use DELIGHT AS BAN ON TAIL-DOCKING IN SCOTLAND CONFIRMED CAMPAIGNERS CALL FOR REVIEW OF ALL OTHER ANIMAL MUTILATIONS Advocates for Animals has welcomed today’s confirmation that the docking of all dogs' tails will be banned in Scotland. The Scottish Executive today announced that the ban is to come into force on 30 April 2007. Advocates has campaigned for an end to tail-docking on the grounds that it is an unnecessary mutilation that causes pain and distress. The animal protection organisation has also called for all other animal mutilations to be reviewed1. In announcing the ban, Animal Health and Welfare Minister Ross Finnie said that the Executive had consulted widely and concluded that the arguments against docking outweighed those in its favour. The Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 bans procedures which interfere with the bone structure or sensitive tissue of animals for non medical reasons. Regulations were today laid in the Scottish Parliament which exempt a number of procedures from this general ban, such as ear tagging for livestock and micro chipping for pet animals. However the tail-docking of dogs will not be exempted. Advocates recently released a scientific report, Painful Reality2, revealing the wide range of painful mutilations that are currently performed on millions of animals in Scotland each year, often without any anaesthetic, and called for each one to be reviewed. Such mutilations are often proposed as acceptable solutions to perceived or real problems in managing animals and are claimed to be in the animals’ best interests. However, Advocates would like to see such problems addressed, wherever possible, by changing management practices and/or the application of new technology. Advocates’ Political Director, Libby Anderson, said: “The confirmation that tail-docking of all dogs is to be banned in Scotland is great news for animal welfare. We welcome the Scottish Executive’s approach, which recognises that animals should not routinely have body parts removed without there being over-riding welfare reasons to do so. We believe that this approach should be extended to all mutilations of animals.†A Scottish opinion poll commissioned by Advocates found that nine out of ten people in Scotland believe all or some mutilations of animals should be banned. A previous opinion poll commissioned by Advocates showed that over two thirds of people living in Scotland believed that all tail-docking of dogs should be banned. - ENDS - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix Posted February 7, 2007 Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 this is excellent news Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amanda72 Posted February 7, 2007 Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 Thought this was already in force in scotland? but anyway yay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pingu Posted February 7, 2007 Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 me too.. but yay anyhow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ailsas mum Posted February 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 If I'm right ( there's always got to be a first time ) everything had been passed but no date had been set. Terri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celeste Posted February 7, 2007 Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 Fantastic news, but i'm dubious about it actually working Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merledogs Posted February 7, 2007 Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 That's great news Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizeeeH Posted February 7, 2007 Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 Celeste I agree Im the owner of a docked breed and although Im not at all bothered about having a rott with a tail lots of people will be and Im not ashamed to say like thousands of people I do prefer the "docked" look and because of that BYB's IMO will continue to dock tails because they will get more money. So I can see lots of unwanted dogs that have tails been dumped on the RSPCA and I can also see lots of botched tail dockings done by the BYB which will cause untold suffering to the poor dogs.........how will the RSPCA cope? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pingu Posted February 7, 2007 Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 Celeste I agree Im the owner of a docked breed and although Im not at all bothered about having a rott with a tail lots of people will be and Im not ashamed to say like thousands of people I do prefer the "docked" look and because of that BYB's IMO will continue to dock tails because they will get more money. So I can see lots of unwanted dogs that have tails been dumped on the RSPCA and I can also see lots of botched tail dockings done by the BYB which will cause untold suffering to the poor dogs.........how will the RSPCA cope? hopefully the same as our local RSPCA.. by prosecuting. the ONLY way to prevent docking is for the breed standard to state "dogs born after xx/xx/xxxx must be undocked" until then docking will continue as an undocked dog doesnt stand a cat in hells chance of winning - though i saw 2 undocked rotts at crufts last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizeeeH Posted February 7, 2007 Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 (edited) Lets hope....but when you read about some digusting acts of cruelty and the thugs that inflict this on the poor animals getting away with a slapped hand and "dont do it again" speech Im not so sure .......Im all for boiling the T***ts in boiling oil but I dont run the goverment Edited February 7, 2007 by LizeeeH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mum24dog Posted February 7, 2007 Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 hopefully the same as our local RSPCA.. by prosecuting. the ONLY way to prevent docking is for the breed standard to state "dogs born after xx/xx/xxxx must be undocked" until then docking will continue as an undocked dog doesnt stand a cat in hells chance of winning - though i saw 2 undocked rotts at crufts last year. But the BYBs aren't breeding for the show market and I guess most of them couldn't give a toss about the breed standard. If it's illegal, it's pretty obvious if it has been done, unless an owner so prefers the mutilated look that they will keep their dog hidden from prying eyes. I guess there were people whio preferred the look of cropped ears too, but we don't see those any more. It needs to be made an offence (with a hefty penalty) to possess an illegally docked dog, not just to collaborate in docking. A few convictions then we'll see how many people are willing to risk it for their personal preferences. For those with docked dogs before the effective date of the ban, it should be a simple matter to get a certificate from their vet (for example) that it was already done. Pam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizeeeH Posted February 7, 2007 Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 I agree 100% Pam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pboae Posted February 7, 2007 Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 Although I am very pleased to see the docking ban, I am a little concerned about some of the language/terms used. Could this same legislation be used to prevent neutering? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diesel Posted February 7, 2007 Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 I thought it was in already? shows I must get out more I have heard that other Rescues ask whether the dog has a tail or not before they will take it in We don't care!!! if it has a tail then that means theres a little bit extra to love every single Owner of Josie's pups have all said that the response they get towards the dogs from "joe public" has been fantastic, they are much more willing to speak to the dogs and make a fuss funnily enough the first negative comment I have had got about Rio was just last week when I was told "I had ruined my dog because I hadn't chopped off his tail" needless to say my reply was unprintable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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