The Anti-Docking Alliance Web Site in the UK = Home Page

The Anti-Docking Alliance

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The Campaign Against the Docking of Dogs' Tails

The Kennel Club

'The Kennel Club's latest bulletin on docking says:-

DOCKING

The docking of dogs' tails is an operation that may now only legally be
performed by a Veterinary Surgeon. In view of the fact that docking is
lawful the decision concerning docking is one that rests with breeder
and their veterinary advisers, with the proviso that only dogs which
have had their tails docked at the age which the Royal College of Veterinary 
Surgeons considers to be acceptable may be entered at Kennel Club
licensed events, unless the owner obtains permission of the KC following
the shortening of a tail at a later age due to damage etc.

The Kennel Club allows customarily docked breeds to be shown with or
without their tails being docked and the Breed Standards issued by the
Kennel Club indicate this. All Breed Standards now contain a clause to
describe the appearance of the docked and the undocked tail in order to
enable a judge to assess the tail of an undocked dog of a customarily
docked breed.

http://www.the-kennel-club.org.uk/index.asp?section=discoverdogs/ddframe.asp?mainpage=pastoral/p863.htm


23rd October 1998 The Kennel Club stated:-

'….. For a number of years, our guidance on the judging of customarily
docked breeds is that the standards do not prohibit the exhibition of
undocked dogs. Furthermore, judges have been advised that, if they
cannot dispassionately judge undocked exhibits, they should decline all
relevant appointments. The Kennel Club will investigate any substantial
complaints lodged on this issue. Of course, it is within the gift of
exhibitors to simply choose not to enter again under particular judges.'

ADA feels obliged to ask whether members of the Council for Docked Breeds
can judge dispassionately.

Dogs with tails in archaically docked breeds are being required to pass an
extra test to qualify and some judges are likely to condemn a dog on tail
carriage alone.

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