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Tail Docking |
CANINE EAR CROPPING When a puppy is 3 days old, a breeder will take scissors, nail trimmers or even hedgeclippers and snip the tail to what he/she deems to be the acceptable standard. This is much akin to cutting the pinky finger of a human baby off. Sound cruel? It is. It's called "tail docking". Common breeds that are subject to this abhorrent human induced cruelty are the Doberman and Rottweiler. The Doberman becomes a two-time loser when he or she is subjected to "ear cropping" which is the elimination via the same utensils of the "excess" ear flesh. The ears are then taped and splinted so that they will stand erect. Other breeds that are commonly subjected to cropping are great in number, from the Boxer to the Great Dane. Unfortunately, the reasons that these alterations are performed are due to certain "breed standards" that have been carried over from decades ago when these alterations served a purpose, when dogs were used to hunt and protect property...and fight. Sadly, these practices are still supported by many groups, including the American Kennel Club (AKC). Of course, they also believe that non-purebred dogs are inferior, substandard animals that serve little purpose to the dog "fancier", and continue to support the puppy mill industry in this country. England/UK, Austrailia, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Singapore, South Africa, and Germany are among countries that have outlawed this practice. The US is behind in the times as far as this issue goes. "Ear cropping and tail docking in dogs for cosmetic reasons are not medically indicated nor of benefit to the patient. These procedures cause pain and distress, and, as with all surgical procedures, are accompanied by inherent risks of anesthesia, blood loss, and infection. Therefore, veterinarians should counsel dog owners about these matters before agreeing to perform these surgeries." --American Veterinary Medical Association, July 9, 1999 Food for thought As a human, you have the ability to reason, draw conclusions and consider consequences. If you still are unconvinced that these practices are unnecessary and inherently cruel, please ponder this: To base the quality or "standard" of a particular dog upon his/her appearance pertaining to ears and tail, whether or not that dog "lives up" to the expectations of the canine community, you should ask yourself...How would you feel: ...if, as a man, your hairline or waistband size determined your status? ...if, as a man, the car you drove determined your success? ...if, as a man, the "other guy" was better than you because of his lower bodyfat percentage, bigger biceps or greater bench press? ...if, as a woman, you were forced to adhere to a certain physical measurement (how many women would be forced to get breast implants or liposuction?)? ...if, as a woman, your non-supermodel quailities kept you from being accepted as anything above "substandard"? "We have been actively working to stop ear cropping and tail docking of dogs in the United States. These procedures are medically unnecessary and cause pain and suffering. Additionally, ears and tails serve as part of a dog's behavioral repertoire and therefore should not be surgically altered unless necessary for the dog's health. Numerous other countries prohibit these procedures because they are inherently inhumane. The AVMA recently changed their policy on ear cropping to: "Ear cropping and tail docking in dogs for cosmetic reasons are not medically indicated nor of benefit to the patient. These procedures cause pain and distress, and, as with all surgical procedures, are accompanied by inherent risks of anesthesia, blood loss, and infection. Therefore, veterinarians should counsel dog owners about these matters before agreeing to perform these surgeries." Although this is far better than their previous policy, you can see the serious problem with such a statement from an animal welfare perspective. They acknowledge that the surgeries are unnecessary nor of benefit to dogs and that they cause pain and distress, but they continue to support their being done." --Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights Ultimately, cosmetic alteration is the decision of the guardian of their respective companion animal. VOCAL believes that a true guardian would have the animal's best interest at heart. Pain and suffering for vanity, or acceptance of an animal's appearance because of their inherent right to be as their Creator designed them? Would your dog or cat do this to you? A dog's love in unconditional...be like your dog. Don't dock and don't crop. |
