tail damage survey

guy · tail damage survey

a survey of gundogs to ascertain the extent of tail damage in docked and undocked dogs.

Click to download file

Wyngold

I thought I would post this for you folks....
The US thanks to the actions going on in UK & Cruft's has been inundated with Anti-Animal bills popping up in just about every state.
So one of our members made this post in response to the proposed NY State anti-docking bill and their supposed claims...with his experience as a Anatomy and Physiology Professor.

Dear Group:

I just read the "Justification" (see below) on why the New York Anti-Docking Bill was proposed. The proponents of this bill want you to believe that docking a dog's tail will cause "lasting chronic tension in the back and hindquarter muscles" if the tail is docked.

Tail docking is performed on dogs between 3-5 days of age, before they have fully evolved their pain responses and before the blood supply to the tail has fully developed. The tail muscles arise from the loin area of the back, both on the dorsal and ventral sides. Having a long tail could place tension in this area, but removing the tail would totally eliminate this tension.

Furthermore, many dogs with long tails that don't carry much fur for protection are continually subjected to injuries of the tail. The tail muscles are also another region of the body that can be harmed. Several pointing dog breeds with long tails are encountering "limber tail syndrome" due to muscle damaged from overworking the tail muscles and then having excess build up of lactic acid.

The tail muscles have no attachments (origin or insertion) to the hindquarter muscles, so it is inconceivable that docking a tail would have any relationship to tension in this group of muscles.

How do I know this information regarding the anatomy of the dog's tail? I taught veterinary anatomy to veterinary students (at 3 different veterinary colleges) for over 35 years.

By the way, the same groups of Animal Rights people are major proponents of early spay/neutering. This is much more invasive and risky regarding blood loss and infection that removing a pup's tail at 3-5 days of age.

H. N. Engel, DVM, PhD
Professor Emeritus, Veterinary Anatomy

JUSTIFICATION: The enactment of this bill would ensure that dogs are not caused unnecessary risk and pain by cosmetic tail docking. Performed under anesthetic, the procedure carries within it inherent risks of blood loss and infection, as well as causing lasting chronic tension in the back and hindquarter muscles of dogs after the procedure. While illegal in many countries, docking procedures are so prevalent today that dogs of some breeds are not recognizable when they are in fact intact. This legislation would ensure that dogs are no longer subjected to lasting pain as a result of docking, and also that shows and exhibitions will no favor dogs whose tails have been docked.

> Date: Sat, 4 Apr 2009 11:33:56 -0500
> From: trimnatchbritts@MIDAMER.NET
> Subject: [BRITTANY-L] ATT: NY Dock Bill
> To: BRITTANY-L@LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU
>
> At this point because there are so many bills, I can't remember which
> have been posted and which have not. I'd rather duplicate than miss.
> Mary Jo
> **************************************************************
> To see the filing, go to http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A07218
>
> *******
> NYS Assembly Bill A07218
>
> SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS: Section 1. The agriculture and markets
> law is amended by adding a new section 365-a: Any person who cuts the
> tail of a dog for reasons other than to protect the life or health of
> the animal is guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not more
> than five hundred dollars. Any person who shows or exhibits a dog whose
> tail has been docked or altered, at a show or other exhibition, is guilty of a
> misdemeanor, punishable as above. Any dog owner who is injured
> or damaged by a violation of these provisions may institute a private
> right of action in the supreme court of this state, to obtain redress
> for such injury or violation. The provisions shall not apply to any dog
> or person who is the owner of any dog whose tail has been certified as
> docked, cut or altered prior to August 1, 2009.
>
> JUSTIFICATION: The enactment of this bill would ensure that dogs are not
> caused unnecessary risk and pain by cosmetic tail docking. Performed
> under anesthetic, the procedure carries within it inherent risks of
> blood loss and infection, as well as causing lasting chronic tension in
> the back and hindquarter muscles of dogs after the procedure. While
> illegal in many countries, docking procedures are so prevalent today
> that dogs of some breeds are not recognizable when they are in fact
> intact. This legislation would ensure that dogs are no longer subjected
> to lasting pain as a result of docking, and also that shows and
> exhibitions will no favor dogs whose tails have been docked.
>
>