Have I developed a sick fascination with doggy hineys? No! I just want to speak out against the barbaric practice of "docking" what would otherwise be beautiful tails on Brittanys and many other breeds of dogs. Yes, I've heard the arguments that it's "necessary" for working dogs, and that it doesn't hurt...Bull! Would any of us volunteer to have a portion of an appendage cut off, or our ears trimmed to make them pointy? Sheesh! Emma was the last dog that I purchased from a breeder, and we offered to pay in full before the puppies were born if the breeder would keep the tail on one of the puppies for us. He declined, because he didn't want to have one of "his" brittanys with a tail out and about in the world. Because of this, and of course the many, many dogs needing homes, I will not buy another brit from a breeder.
My first rescue brit was Tara, and she came with her beautiful tail intact! Just look at that lovely tail!
Of course, Cooper the new-comer has no tail, but hey - he needed a home, and I wasn't going to turn him away! Why is the United States still condoning the practice of docking tails and cropping ears? This is done for purely cosmetic reasons 99.99999% of the time, and should be outlawed just like it is in so many other countries. Just look at this list I stole from borrowed from Wikipedia.
Legal status of dog tail docking by country
Argentina: Unrestricted
Australia: Banned in all states and territories as of June 2004. Restricted to veterinarians, for welfare, not cosmetic.
Austria: Banned as of 1 January 2005
Argentina: Unrestricted
Australia: Banned in all states and territories as of June 2004. Restricted to veterinarians, for welfare, not cosmetic.
Austria: Banned as of 1 January 2005
Belgium: Banned as pf 1 January 2006
Brazil: Banned for cosmetic purposes
Canada: Unrestricted
Chile: Unrestricted
Croatia: Banned
Cyprus: Banned in 1991
Brazil: Banned for cosmetic purposes
Canada: Unrestricted
Chile: Unrestricted
Croatia: Banned
Cyprus: Banned in 1991
Czech Republic: Banned
Denmark: Banned as of 1 June 1996, with exceptions for five gun dog breeds
England: Restricted as of 2006 - can only be done by vet on a number of working dog breeds
Estonia: Banned as of 2001
Finland: Banned in 1992. Exception on tail docking, although banned on dog shows
France: Banned as of 4 August 2003
Germany: Banned on 1 May 1992, with exceptions for working gun dogs
Greece: Banned in 1991
Hungary: Banned
Iceland: Banned as of 2001
India: Unrestricted
Indonesia: Unrestricted
Ireland: Banned as of January 2008
Israel: Banned for cosmetic purposes in 2000.
Italy: Banned in Rome and Turin
Latvia: Banned
Lithuania: Banned
Luxembourg: Banned in 1991
Malaysia: Unrestricted
Mauritius: Unrestricted
Mexico: Unrestricted
Nepal: Unrestricted
Netherlands: Banned as of 1 September 2001
New Zealand: Unrestricted
Northern Ireland: Unrestricted tail docking, Ear Cropping Illegal.
Norway: Docking banned since 1987
Philippines: Unrestricted
Portugal: Unrestricted
Republic of Ireland: Unrestricted for dogs.
Russia: Unrestricted
Scotland: Banned as of 2006 for all breeds.
Singapore: Unrestricted
Slovakia: Banned as of 1 January 2003
South Africa: Banned as of June 2007
Sweden: Banned as of 1989.
Switzerland: Banned as of 1 July 1981 for the ears and 1988 for the tail
Taiwan: Unrestricted.
United States: Unrestricted (some states, including New York, and Vermont have considered bills to make the practice illegal)
Virgin Islands: Banned as of 2005
Wales: Same legislation as England
Denmark: Banned as of 1 June 1996, with exceptions for five gun dog breeds
England: Restricted as of 2006 - can only be done by vet on a number of working dog breeds
Estonia: Banned as of 2001
Finland: Banned in 1992. Exception on tail docking, although banned on dog shows
France: Banned as of 4 August 2003
Germany: Banned on 1 May 1992, with exceptions for working gun dogs
Greece: Banned in 1991
Hungary: Banned
Iceland: Banned as of 2001
India: Unrestricted
Indonesia: Unrestricted
Ireland: Banned as of January 2008
Israel: Banned for cosmetic purposes in 2000.
Italy: Banned in Rome and Turin
Latvia: Banned
Lithuania: Banned
Luxembourg: Banned in 1991
Malaysia: Unrestricted
Mauritius: Unrestricted
Mexico: Unrestricted
Nepal: Unrestricted
Netherlands: Banned as of 1 September 2001
New Zealand: Unrestricted
Northern Ireland: Unrestricted tail docking, Ear Cropping Illegal.
Norway: Docking banned since 1987
Philippines: Unrestricted
Portugal: Unrestricted
Republic of Ireland: Unrestricted for dogs.
Russia: Unrestricted
Scotland: Banned as of 2006 for all breeds.
Singapore: Unrestricted
Slovakia: Banned as of 1 January 2003
South Africa: Banned as of June 2007
Sweden: Banned as of 1989.
Switzerland: Banned as of 1 July 1981 for the ears and 1988 for the tail
Taiwan: Unrestricted.
United States: Unrestricted (some states, including New York, and Vermont have considered bills to make the practice illegal)
Virgin Islands: Banned as of 2005
Wales: Same legislation as England
Come on, United States---join the many other civilized countries in the world who have already banned this barbaric practice!
OK, I'm getting down from my soapbox now. Whew!
