It's crunch time for taildocking
By Nick Ridley

It's shooters' last chance to save taildocking. With the Animal Welfare Bill likely to return to the House of Commons on 8 March, MPs are likely to be asked to decide between three options: keeping the status quo, which allows docking for any reason provided it is carried out by a vet, a complete ban on docking or a ban with an exemption for working dogs. The Government has indicated it favours a complete ban.

BASC is leading the charge in the fight against a taildocking ban. BASC spokesman Simon Clarke says: "No MP would deliberately smash the tail of a dog, leaving it a lacerated bloody mess. A ban on docking working dogs would do exactly that. It would be a misguided attempt to improve animal welfare which will cause unnecessary suffering to thousands of dogs. The surest way to arouse a person's fury is to harm their dog.

"MPs contemplating supporting this ban should look closely at the security which protects them in Westminster. They will see docked springer spaniels searching for explosives. Thousands like them are used by the police and rescue services, by customs and the armed forces. Hundreds of thousands are used to retrieve game and to track wounded deer. They are not docked to make them look pretty. The last third of their tail is removed by vets to prevent injury while working in thick cover. Such injuries are traumatic for dog and owner and can leave the dog facing amputation. The solution is simple. Vets should be allowed the discretion to remove a dog's tail early in life if they are satisfied the animal is to be used as a working dog". Animal welfare minister Ben Bradshaw has said he has "some sympathy" with BASC's campaign to exclude working dogs from a ban.

(published with permission of Sporting Shooter)