UK docking laws

Nicola · 07-13-2008, 07:39 AM

Well I'm sure you all know about the laws on cropping in the UK - and now legislation also bans the docking of tails.

I'm not starting this thread for a big debate about whether this is legislation gone mad or not, what i am starting it for is because I noticed an interesting comment on a well respected UK breeder's website which I am curious to see what you all think about...

Quote:

Please be aware that we are no longer able to dock tails as it is illegal in England. Aritaur will not be transporting our bitches to Ireland in order to whelp puppies there, dock them and return them to the UK for sale.

Obviously this quote states that these breeders are not doing this but implies that some are... would this uprooting and transportation of the bitches cause dangerous levels of stress for them? I do not know a lot about breeding so this question is not implying my opinion, i'm just curious to know what implications this may have potentially.

Thanks

**voodoolizard** · 07-13-2008, 08:22 AM

HI im in the uk and cant even remeber when croping ears was still legal it was so long ago !!

Zeus has his tail docked but only just as he was born just before the ban.

I have herd of some so called breeders saying they are shiping the dogs off to ireland so they can still dock, but then keeping them at home and doing it themselves ??

But that is only hearsay !!

Crow · 07-13-2008, 10:23 AM

Ear cropping has been illegal in the UK for something like 100 years.

Some tail docking is still legal, but only for HPR and terrier working lines.

Dogs docked after April 2007 are banned from shows but not from field trials.

The transportation of dogs to Ireland and back for the purpose of docking may be a legal loophole (though I suspect it is prosecutable) but if so it's likely to be closed at some point. A breeder who claims to have taken a dog to Ireland but has in fact docked the dogs him/herself is obviously breaking the law. As such dogs are ineligible for showing, I can't imagine that any good breeder will either have their dogs docked in Ireland or dock them themselves.