Press Release, New Zealand Council of Docked Breeds

Dog Tail banding proponents support SPCA 100%

The New Zealand Council of Docked Breeds is appalled by the reports of puppies having their tails docked by a heated knife and offers its full support to the SPCA in seeking a prosecution for the alleged practice.

“The Council advocated strongly for the establishment of an Accredited Banders Panel so dogs banded outside the protocols of the Panel and therefore outside the Code of Welfare, can be readily identified and should be prosecuted” says Council Media Spokesperson Mrs Lesley Chalmers.

The Council has long maintained that existing legislation and the guidelines within the Code of Welfare already allow the appropriate authorities the ability to deal with any botched tail docking attempts, as is now being demonstrated by the SPCA.

The docking of dogs’ tails remains a controversial topic and the Council is aware that the NZVA is working hard to engender support to further its case for introducing a total ban when a review is carried out of the Animal Welfare Act. “This is the first prosecution we have been made aware of since the inception of the Code of Welfare in June 2010, we therefore question why we are now revisiting the topic of docking yet again, only 2 years since the introduction of the Code – while one act of cruelty is one too many, it certainly appears that the perceived issues are not widespread”.

The NZCDB has worked hard to maintain the Freedom of Choice for breeders of traditionally docked breeds and will continue to do so.

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