TAIL DOCKING OF DOGS

·        The Act prohibits the docking of dogs’ tails subject to an exemption for working dogs. The exemption is set out in regulations.  The Docking Regulations come into force in England on 6 April 2007. In Wales the equivalent regulations came into force on 29 March 2007.

·        A dog of one of the types below may be docked if evidence is provided that it is likely to be worked in connection with law enforcement, activities of Her Majesty’s Armed Forces, emergency rescue, lawful pest control, or the lawful shooting of animals.  It is recognised that in a litter not all puppies docked will be found suitable for work.

·        The owner of the dog, or person representing the owner must make a signed statement that: the dam of the puppies to be docked is of a type which can be certified as set out below; the date on which the puppies were born; and that it is intended that they will be used, or sold, for one of the working purposes set out in the regulations.

·        The vet must sign a declaration that the requirements of the regulations have been satisfied i.e. that he has been given the necessary declaration by the owner, or person representing the owner, and has seen the evidence required.

·        The vet must have a completed statement, signed and dated by the owner of the dog (or by another person whom the veterinary surgeon to whom it is presented reasonably believes to be representing the owner), made in the form set out in the regulations. The vet must see the dam of the dog and a further piece of evidence such as a current shotgun or firearm certificate issued to the owner of the dog, or to the agent or employee of the owner most likely to be using the dog for work in connection with the lawful shooting of animals; a letter from a gamekeeper, a land occupier (or his agent), a person with shooting rights, a shoot organiser, a club official, a person representing the National Working Terrier Federation, or a person engaged in lawful pest control, stating that the breeder of the dog whose tail is to be docked is known to him and that dogs bred by that breeder have been used (as the case may be) on his land, or in his shoot, or for pest control.

·        The dogs that can be docked are different between England and Wales although the procedure is the same. There is a total ban on docking in Scotland.

·        In England the following can be docked:

1.      Hunt point retrieve breeds of any type or combination of types.

2.      Spaniels of any type or combination of types.

3.      Terriers of any type or combination of types.

·        In Wales the following can be docked:

1.      Spaniels: Of the following breeds: English Springer Spaniel, Welsh Springer Spaniel and Cocker Spaniel, but not combinations of breeds

2.      Terriers: Of the following breeds: Jack Russell Terrier, Cairn Terrier, Lakeland Terrier, Norfolk Terrier, but not combinations of breeds

3.      Hunt point retrievers of the breeds listed below:

Braque Italian, Brittany, German Long Haired Pointer, German Short Haired Pointer, German Wire Haired Pointer, Hungarian Vizsla, Hungarian Wire Haired Vizsla, Italian Spinone, Spanish Water Dog, Weimaraner, Korthals Griffon, Slovakian Rough Haired Pointer, Large Munsterlander, Small Munsterlander.

·        The puppies docked must be microchipped, either at the time of docking or when the vet considers they are old enough.

·        It remains the prerogative of a veterinary surgeon as to whether he chooses to dock a dog’s tail or not.
 
SHOWING OF DOCKED DOGS

·        A dog docked before the 29 March 2007 in Wales and 6 April 2007 in England may continue to be shown at all shows in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland throughout its natural life.

·        A dog docked on, or after, the above dates, irrespective of where it was docked, may not be shown at shows in England and Wales where the public is admitted “on payment of a fee”. This includes all forms of payment not simply a standard admission fee.

·        However, where a working dog has been docked in England and Wales under the respective regulations set out above, it may be shown where the public are charged a fee, so long as it is shown “only to demonstrate its working ability”. It will thus be necessary to show working dogs in such a way as ONLY to demonstrate their working ability and not conformity to a standard.

·        A dog legally docked in England, Wales, Northern Ireland or abroad may be shown at any show in Scotland or Northern Ireland.

The owners of working breeds in Scotland did not receive any exemptions within the legislation that now exists there.