Tail docking legislation in each European Country

[Belire Boxers]

Peter, I guess you already know this ...

1 - Country
Spain

2 - Is tail docking banned and are there any exemptions?
Not banned by National Spanish law, but Spain is divided into 17 Autonomous Communities with legislative and executive autonomy, and as far as I know, docking and cropping is banned in 2 of them: Catalonia and Andalusia.

3 - Are docked dogs allowed to be shown and what are the regulations (age etc)?
Yes, allowed to be shown everywhere.

4 - If tail docking has not been banned, are any moves to ban it in the near future and how?
I am sure there are some moves in other Autonomous Communities, but I do not know how likely they are to succeed.

5 - Is there or has there ever been an organisation defending the docking option in this country and contact details?
No as far as I know.


Natacha Moscoso (Vitoria, Spain)
Boxers Urkabustaiz - since 1964
http://www.boxerurkabustaiz.es

.

Thanks Natacha,

My vet claims that Valencia , my region, has banned tails and ears but cropped our latest pups saying we would all go to prison together so how do we establish for sure which regions have banned the practice, which regions are considering it and who do we approach in power, to stop more regions joining in?

[Dizara Boxers]

1 - Country-USA
2 - Is tail docking banned and are there any exemptions?-Tail docking and ears cropping are not banned,
3 - Are docked dogs allowed to be shown and what are the regulations (age etc)?-
4 - If tail docking has not been banned, are any moves to ban it in the near future and how?-Not as of now, I doubt it would pass. As far as I know all of the working breeds clubs and breeders hold strong position on cropping and docking stand where is right now.



www.dizaraboxers.com

 
 
 

[Alexandra]

this is what I've found will searching the net for legislation for my MA thesis:

Cropping and Docking: A Discussion of the Controversy and the Role of Law in Preventing Unnecessary Cosmetic Surgery on Dogs

http://www.animallaw.info/articles/dduscroppingdocking.htm

haven't read it yet, but if anyone's interested I've posted the link

[George Kotinis]

this is what I've found will searching the net for legislation for my MA thesis:

Cropping and Docking: A Discussion of the Controversy and the Role of Law in Preventing Unnecessary Cosmetic Surgery on Dogs

http://www.animallaw.info/articles/dduscroppingdocking.htm

haven't read it yet, but if anyone's interested I've posted the link

I am sorry but this article cannot stand academically or otherwise as it is preoccupied, lacks of research data and has no other target but to point the thoughts of the writer. It is very poor work, in academic terms. It may have been presented from the writer to his law school as an essay to his class work, but has no real value.

[topsy]

this is what I've found will searching the net for legislation for my MA thesis:

Cropping and Docking: A Discussion of the Controversy and the Role of Law in Preventing Unnecessary Cosmetic Surgery on Dogs

http://www.animallaw.info/articles/dduscroppingdocking.htm

haven't read it yet, but if anyone's interested I've posted the link

I am sorry but this article cannot stand academically or otherwise as it is preoccupied, lacks of research data and has no other target but to point the thoughts of the writer. It is very poor work, in academic terms. It may have been presented from the writer to his law school as an essay to his class work, but has no real value.

And the "pro-docking" people are not preoccupied??
It's obvious that some people are setting pressure to allow docking of tail and ears, and yes: for 99% of these people it's only for cosmetic reasons. The only solution is to breed for Boxers with natural erect ears and natural short tails. Unfortunately, that's not something that is on the German Boxer Club's agenda. I can't help wondering why Boxer breeders haven't fixed these desired traits (short tail, erect ears) for our Boxers in the period 1895-2010? Were they affraid of using a terrier? Maybe these traits are not so important as some people do want us to believe?

[belueberry]

They did not use a terrier (eg Boston) because they have silly notions of "pure blood" being the most important thing of all. JMHO.

Besides. A natural short tail is grounds for disqualification now.  Fantastic. Progress.

[George Kotinis]

Someone does not like smart solutions They choose to declare  "L’état c'est Moi "

It's a pitty, all this effort, study, time and money gone to waste 

[belueberry]

Someone does not like smart solutions They choose to declare  "L’état c'est Moi "

It's a pitty, all this effort, study, time and money gone to waste 

*Like* 

[n_moscoso]

My vet claims that Valencia , my region, has banned tails and ears but cropped our latest pups saying we would all go to prison together so how do we establish for sure which regions have banned the practice, which regions are considering it and who do we approach in power, to stop more regions joining in?

Unfortunately your vet is right, I have learned that Valencia too has banned cropping and docking.

I believe that nowadays the main task of any Kennel Club should be to defend the rights of dog owners and breeders. Without rights, everything else is moot. Instead, Kennel Clubs prefer to  focus on the most frivolous aspect, dog shows.

Unfortunate.

Natacha Moscoso (Vitoria, Spain)
Boxers Urkabustaiz - since 1964
http://www.boxerurkabustaiz.es

.

[topsy]

My vet claims that Valencia , my region, has banned tails and ears but cropped our latest pups saying we would all go to prison together so how do we establish for sure which regions have banned the practice, which regions are considering it and who do we approach in power, to stop more regions joining in?

Unfortunately your vet is right, I have learned that Valencia too has banned cropping and docking.

I believe that nowadays the main task of any Kennel Club should be to defend the rights of dog owners and breeders. Without rights, everything else is moot. Instead, Kennel Clubs prefer to  focus on the most frivolous aspect, dog shows.

Unfortunate.

Natacha Moscoso (Vitoria, Spain)
Boxers Urkabustaiz - since 1964
http://www.boxerurkabustaiz.es

.

It's absolutely correct that the rights of dog owners and breeders have to be defended. The main question is: what are these "rights"? The rights to cut tails and ears from dogs, mainly for cosmetic reasons??? Who do we think we are to decide that animals don't need their full ears or tails?
If Valencia has banned docking and cropping, that's a good point: they're on the right track. The "rights" for breeders have to be the same for all European breeders. The next step in the right direction is that the German Boxer Club should act in a consequent way and disqualify docked and cropped Boxers on their Jahressieger- and ATI-box shows. As long as this is not the case, some breeders have more "rights" than the others.

[Belire Boxers]

[/quote]
It's absolutely correct that the rights of dog owners and breeders have to be defended. The main question is: what are these "rights"? The rights to cut tails and ears from dogs, mainly for cosmetic reasons??? Who do we think we are to decide that animals don't need their full ears or tails?
If Valencia has banned docking and cropping, that's a good point: they're on the right track. The "rights" for breeders have to be the same for all European breeders. The next step in the right direction is that the German Boxer Club should act in a consequent way and disqualify docked and cropped Boxers on their Jahressieger- and ATI-box shows. As long as this is not the case, some breeders have more "rights" than the others.
[/quote]
Topsy, you seem to be making this up as you go along, we are not talking about "rights" we are talking about the welfare of our breed when tail docking - PLEASE REMEMBER that the according to the recent UK veterinary study, circa 16,000 dogs suffered tail injuries in the UK for that 12 month period and circa 5,000 had to undergo adult tail amputation! So we are not wanting to dock tails as a right but for the welfare of traditionally docked breeds. We want the freedom to choose, period.

[topsy]

Topsy, you seem to be making this up as you go along, we are not talking about "rights" we are talking about the welfare of our breed when tail docking - PLEASE REMEMBER that the according to the recent UK veterinary study, circa 16,000 dogs suffered tail injuries in the UK for that 12 month period and circa 5,000 had to undergo adult tail amputation! So we are not wanting to dock tails as a right but for the welfare of traditionally docked breeds. We want the freedom to choose, period.

I don't think that I talked about "rights"? And of course I'm for the "welfare" of the breed. But "re-legislation" for tail docking is not going to happen. Period. There WAS a beautiful solution with breeding bobtail Boxers.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with this important and beautiful purebred Boxer:
http://www.boxberry.net/dog.asp?dog=10167

If we see the evolution worldwide on the ban on tail docking, breeding bobtail Boxers was and is the only solution for the "tail problem" in our breed. It makes more sense to convince the German Boxer Club to reconsider their disqualifying note on Bobtail Boxer and allow them in the standard. A Boxer with a natural bobtail, is also "welfare" for our breed.

16.000 injuries over all breeds. Too much, "but it's a minority" would the politicians say. Be prepared for breeding Boxers (and other breeds) with tails. The breeders and their breed clubs have the "freedom" to take decisions about the tail length. The "solution" could be so simple.

Sidenote: my beautiful Boxer broke his tail at 13 months and it had to be amputated. That doesn't give me the "right" to say: "hey, let's gonna strive to re-allow tail docking". Breeding bobtail Boxers is a more noble solution for this problem. And it's about time that the German Boxer Club and many Boxer lovers see the light about this.

[n_moscoso]

It's absolutely correct that the rights of dog owners and breeders have to be defended. The main question is: what are these "rights"? The rights to cut tails and ears from dogs, mainly for cosmetic reasons??? Who do we think we are to decide that animals don't need their full ears or tails?

There is no doubt that what are dog owners/breeders’ rights is a matter open to debate and discussion.

But the fact is that nowadays a lot of things in dogs are due to cosmetic reasons and human preference:

- Very big dogs (mastiffs, etc.)
- Very small dogs (pinscher, etc)
- Very long coats (afghans, etc.)
- Very thick coats (chows, etc.)
- Very short coats (dobermann, etc.)
- Curly coats (poodles, etc.)
- Heavy dogs (American stafford, etc.)
- Light dogs (Ibizan hound, etc.)
- Prognatic dogs (bulldog, etc.)
- Heavy-eared dogs (Basset, etc.)
- Lop-eared dogs (Foxhound, etc.)
- Short-legged dogs (Corgies, etc.)
- Short-muzzled dogs (Shih-tzu, etc.)
- Short-bodied dogs (Fox terrier, etc.)
- … etc. etc.


All the above things are huge deviations from the basic canid, the “wild type” and are more significant at all levels (including they are genetic!) than cropping/docking.

Would you terminate all those breeds?

Our breed, the boxer, has several of those deviations. Would you ban the breeding of boxers?

Do you prefer and advocate the basic canid or wild type over all those breeds (including the boxer)?

Natacha Moscoso (Vitoria, Spain)
Boxers Urkabustaiz - since 1964
http://www.boxerurkabustaiz.es

.

[topsy]

It's absolutely correct that the rights of dog owners and breeders have to be defended. The main question is: what are these "rights"? The rights to cut tails and ears from dogs, mainly for cosmetic reasons??? Who do we think we are to decide that animals don't need their full ears or tails?

There is no doubt that what are dog owners/breeders’ rights is a matter open to debate and discussion.

But the fact is that nowadays a lot of things in dogs are due to cosmetic reasons and human preference:

- Very big dogs (mastiffs, etc.)
- Very small dogs (pinscher, etc)
- Very long coats (afghans, etc.)
- Very thick coats (chows, etc.)
- Very short coats (dobermann, etc.)
- Curly coats (poodles, etc.)
- Heavy dogs (American stafford, etc.)
- Light dogs (Ibizan hound, etc.)
- Prognatic dogs (bulldog, etc.)
- Heavy-eared dogs (Basset, etc.)
- Lop-eared dogs (Foxhound, etc.)
- Short-legged dogs (Corgies, etc.)
- Short-muzzled dogs (Shih-tzu, etc.)
- Short-bodied dogs (Fox terrier, etc.)
- … etc. etc.


All the above things are huge deviations from the basic canid, the “wild type” and are more significant at all levels (including they are genetic!) than cropping/docking.

Would you terminate all those breeds?

Our breed, the boxer, has several of those deviations. Would you ban the breeding of boxers?

Do you prefer and advocate the basic canid or wild type over all those breeds (including the boxer)?

Natacha Moscoso (Vitoria, Spain)
Boxers Urkabustaiz - since 1964
http://www.boxerurkabustaiz.es

.

No, I dont want to ban the breeding of boxers. But as I said: it's possible to breed Boxers with natural short tails and natural erect ears. No need for cropping and docking. Look at the French Bulldog and the Boston Terrier. Now we have Boxers with long natural tails and that's because of breeding mistakes in the past

[n_moscoso]

No, I dont want to ban the breeding of boxers. But as I said: it's possible to breed Boxers with natural short tails and natural erect ears. No need for cropping and docking. Look at the French Bulldog and the Boston Terrier. Now we have Boxers with long natural tails and that's because of breeding mistakes in the past

- First we had the fanatic animal rights movement+their political allies+political correctness ban docking+cropping.
- Then we had the German Boxer Klub ban the bobtail boxer, which was a good partial solution to the above problem.

Madness.

(Note: you'll find some nice bobtail boxers on my website.)

Natacha Moscoso (Vitoria, Spain)
Boxers Urkabustaiz - since 1964
http://www.boxerurkabustaiz.es

.