3. 85% of the members of the New Zealand Kennel Club polled in December 2003 support the choice of the breeder whether to dock or not.

4. There is no compulsion on breeders to dock puppies to conform to requirements of breed standards or to be exhibited at NZKC shows. Some standards (but by no means all of the traditionally docked breeds) call for tails to be “docked”; “short” or “short or docked” but it is not any more of a requirement than total conformity to every other aspect of the standard, which no dog does. There are currently many traditionally docked breeds of dogs being exhibited with tails – a lot of them have CHAMPION in front of their name! It is the choice of the exhibitor.

5. Purebred dogs have been docked for sometimes hundreds of years. There are pictures of Hungarian Viszlas dating back to the 1100’s - they have docked tails, so it is NOT a “fashion”.

6. Purebred dogs are NOT docked for “cosmetic” reasons. Different breeds are docked for different reasons ranging from hygiene to prevention of cruel damage.

7. The practice of tail docking when performed correctly is NOT cruel. In 1999 in New Zealand, when the current Animal Welfare Act was approved, Hansard clearly shows that the Select Committee hearing submissions did not accept that there was sufficient published evidence to support a ban or to make it a significant surgical procedure on the basis of pain alone. NOTHING HAS CHANGED.

8. Tail docking does NOT inhibit the swimming, balance or manoeuvrability of the dog. A great many of the gundog breeds prized for water retrieving are docked breeds. There are many docked Greyhounds in the UK that are winning races and indeed there is even one in New Zealand. Docked dogs perform in Agility and Obedience events equally as successfully as undocked dogs and in fact some owners having both, believe the docked dogs to be superior.

9. The NZVA agrees with the NZKC that there is no evidence that docked dogs are unable to communicate with or are aggressive towards other dogs.

10. There is NO documented evidence supporting the NZVA’s policy claims of tail docking causing necrosis, neuromata, self-mutilation, faecal urinary incontinence.

11. There IS documented evidence of horrific injuries to traditionally docked dogs. In Sweden in 1989, 191 undocked dogs were studied. In two years an horrendous 51% of these dogs suffered tail injuries.

12. Veterinary Surgeons are not trained to dock puppies. Most Vets have no experience of the banding method of docking.

13.There is NO recognised scientific evidence that tail docking is painful to the puppy under 5 days old. Unlike most other animals, puppies are born without sight or hearing their nervous system is still developing. At birth the puppy is unable to use its back legs and moves by using the front legs only for about a week and until its nerve impulses are developed.

14. Conversely there IS recognised electrophysiological studies proving that puppies do not possess totally functional C-fibres (chronaxie values) of the peripheral nerves (which conduct the sensation of pain to the brain) until they are approximately 10 days old.

15. Tail Docking is not banned in UK. The procedure is restricted to Vets.

16. Tail Docking is not banned in Australia. Legislation which will come into force on 1 April 2004 will restrict the procedure to vets only and individual State Governments have introduced/are introducing their own restrictions. Eg.The most draconian legislation is in Queensland where from 1/10/2003 it has been illegal to dock for other than therapeutic reasons. But in Western Australia it is permissible to dock for prophylactic reasons.

17. HRH Queen Elizabeth II, Patron of the RSPCA and our own Head of State who owns and breeds Pembroke Corgis (a docked breed), is on record as having stated:

As dog breeders we have been given a charter to maintain the appearance of the breeds as handed down by our forebears through the various breed standards.

Tail Docking - Policy Statement

General Policy

Tail docking is accepted by the New Zealand Kennel Club only in those breeds that are traditionally docked. Tail docking is optional. There is no rule or regulation that requires dogs tails to be docked or to prohibit the exhibition of a dog with an entire tail in a breed where tails have beencustomarily docked in spite of any statement in any standard that may appear to the contrary.

Docking Procedure

In accordance with proven scientific evidence a puppies tail can be docked at four days of age or less without causing any distress or pain to the whelp.

New Zealand Kennel Club countenances tail docking only if performed at the age of four days or less by Veterinarians or a breeder fully experienced in the procedure. If being performed by such an operator the banding method is recommended. The tail docking must be in accordance with the breed standard or if no direction is contained in the breed standard the docking must be not less than the fourth caudal or

coccygeal vertebrae.Tail docking over the age of four days is not permitted unless performed by a veterinarian under anaesthetic for genuine health purposes for the health and welfare of the dog.

Right of Choice

The New Zealand Kennel Club endorses the rights of individual members to choose whether they dock tails in breeds where it is traditionally an acceptable practice.

Education and Training Initiatives

They further endorse approaches to New Zealand Veterinary Association to further a path of education in training in certified operators to conduct this practice in a humane and correct manner.

Let's talk tails

The New Zealand Kennel Club was founded in 1886 following the traditions and values set by The Kennel Club (England). The NZKC is the National body in this country for controlling canine activities and caters for the sports of conformation exhibition, dog obedience, dog agility, gundog trials, working trials, sled dog racing, hound racing and coursing, and service organizations.

The NZKC objectives state that we are “the organization of dog owners in NZ” charged with “ensuring the well being of dogs in New Zealand”.

So…where does the NZKC stand on tail docking: - a straw poll of NZKC members run prior to the December council meeting indicated that 85% were in favour of retaining the status quo in respect to this emotive topic, and that is the “freedom of choice of the breeder to dock or not to dock the traditionally docked breeds”.

NOTE: 57 of the 184 breeds recognized by the NZKC are traditionally docked; these breeds represent almost 34% of the puppies registered by the NZKC annually.

MP for Hamilton east, Ms Diane Yates, with the support of the New Zealand Veterinary Association, will, by the time this goes to print, have presented her private members bill to introduce the cessation of tail docking for non therapeutic reasons – sighting pain and cruelty among other inaccuracies. We must ponder, at this juncture the taxpayer dollar being expended to mount this campaign and the hospital waiting lists, teacher shortages, homeless and jobless!

“What gives us the right to change something that has been developed and preserved for hundreds of years”

The outpouring of misplaced emotion through the media is for the most part naivety based, through lack f education and understanding as to: -

• Why tails are customarily docked
• And to the procedures used

Ponder again for a moment the fate of sheep, cattle, pigs, deer, horses and even dew claws on puppies………..compare procedures if you will between that used on dogs as opposed to their less fortunate farm animal companions!

As a responsible group who have chosen to become “caretakers” “guardians” not only of our dogs and their welfare but also in the preservation and heritage of our breeds – the latter the job of both breeders and judges – are now charged with having to urgently assist in the education process, please if any member offers any explanation PLEASE be 1000% sure of your facts.

Firstly – why? Our forefathers, developers of the breeds (and yes many were men – working men of the land, many references are made to these men in the breed standards) developed the breeds along with a set of blueprints, the breeds’ development reflected their requirements for work: -

• The guarding dogs from the Utility & Terrier groups

• The vermin hunting Terriers

• The hunting Hounds

• The herding Sheep & Cattle dogs

• The hunting Gundogs

Structure, characteristics and temperaments were developed with the function in mind that this loyal worker was to perform and the terrain under and over which the task would be undertaken. In a misguided, ill-informed and “chip on the shoulder” stance the general public have tuned their vision of dog breeders and exhibitors as people seeking self gratification, especially when exhibiting, with the to win at all cost attitude and no regard for the welfare or preservation of the breeds.

Again why? Take for example the Pembroke Welsh Corgi ( and no he is not the same breed as the Cardigan merely missing his tail!!), bred as cattle dogs working in and around the stomping feet of the cattle in the yards, the tail was removed so as not to be trampled and damaged or risk the dog being pinned to the ground by the tail and trampled to death (that’s cruel) “a good working dog is an invaluable animal”.

The Gundogs are all workers, the smaller Spaniels find and flush, working through thick brambles and undergrowth, the incessantly wagging tail indicating to the hunter the position of the fowl, flushes – the hunter then shoots and sends his leggier Retriever to retrieve. Imagine if you will a fully feathered tail, the spaniel furiously thrashing it from side to side in the thick undergrowth ripping the tapered tail on the brambles or worse becoming completely entangled, possibly lost from sight of the hunter. The tail splits, bleeds and takes many painful, often months, to heal (that’s cruel).

The same applies to the German Wirehaired Pointer and his cousin the German Shorthaired Pointer, working in their customary rough shooter terrain they suffer the fate of the split tails, requiring docking, and months of mending. The hunter is without his worker during this period of incapacity.

Sure you say there is not the necessity to hunt as in the 18^th & 19^th centuries when these breeds were developed BUT these breeds are still shot over and hunted regularly, this maintains their function and HERITAGE.

Consider also the concept of childhood inoculations… “a little discomfort for a pain-free lifetime” , if indeed the procedures for docking were proven to cause discomfort surely the same simile applies?

Secondly – procedure

FACT

• here is no documented evidence supporting the NZVA’s claims of tail docking causing necrosis, neuromata, self-mutilations, and fecal or urinary incontinence.

• There is documented evidence of the horrific injuries to traditionally docked breeds. In Sweden in 1989, 191 undocked dogs were studied; in two years a horrendous 51% of these dogs suffered tail injuries.

• There is no recognized scientific evidence that tail docking is painful to the puppy under 5 days old. Unlike most other animals, puppies are born without sight or hearing and their nervous system is still developing. At birth the puppy is unable to use its back legs and moves by using the front legs only for about a week and until its nerve impulses are developed.

• Conversely there IS recognized electro physical studies proving that puppies do not posses functional C-fibres (chronaxie values) of the peripheral nerves (which conduct the sensation of pain to the brain) until they are approximately 10 days old.

Then how are the puppies docked? For the most part breeders dock their own puppies at 3 days, at the same time removing dewclaws. Many breeders prefer and successfully dock with bands, others cut and cauterize.Most vets have no experience with the banding method,although many a breeder has given tuition in this area, they prefer to cut, cauterize and or stitch. My personal preference is to band, mothers often want to assist in the removal of stitches.

In closing; the process of tailing docking is not a trend or fashion statement or even some bizarre ritual to appease a fad of breeders but is a process of upholding a tradition borne primarily from a working perspective of a breed. It is not compulsory for the customarily docked breeds to be docked but it is a human right to choose.It is not an inhumane process, if it was the case our responsible long standing breeders and the many that have gone before would not partake in the procedure.

HRH Queen Elizabeth II, Patron of the RSPCA and our own Head of State who owns and breeds Pembroke Corgis (a docked breed), has stated “As dog breeders we have been given a charter to maintain the appearance of the breeds as handed down by our forebears through the various breed standards”.

Please do not become over emotional on this topic, be subjective and objective, investigate the reasons for and against and the procedures in place, look at the wider picture don’t become sneered by the misinformed and media hype.

I quote the following from Lesley Chalmers – chairperson of the NZKC Canine Welfare committee “it is important that all NZKC members respect each others views in this matter because it is such an emotive one and while we might have differing opinions on this, the next issue challenging our rights as dog owners, that WILL confront us (and I use the word WILL with confidence) may well be something that we think alike on and need to work through together”.

Beth Warman, January 2004