PA Tail Docking Legislation

Will Kill Thousands of Dogs

By John Yates, Director

The American Sporting Dog Alliance

http://www.americansportingdogalliance.org

Draft legislation in Pennsylvania to require proof of tail docking by a veterinarian would result in the needless and cruel deaths of thousands of dogs a year. The American Sporting Dog Alliance strongly opposes this legislation, which would shut down rescue groups for breeds of dogs with docked tails and make these breeds of dogs ineligible for adoption from animal shelters.

The legislation would make it illegal for a breeder to dock the tails of newborn puppies, and requires people who own dogs with docked tails to either prove that the work was done before the law takes effect, or prove that a veterinarian performed the procedure. Dog owners who cannot provide this evidence would be guilty of a summary offense under the state’s Criminal Code simply for possessing a dog with a docked tail.

Many recognized breeds of dogs traditionally have their tails docked shortly after birth, including poodles, Yorkshire terriers, vizslas, Australian shepherds, weimaraners, Brittanys, Airedales, schnauzers, doberman pinschers, German shorthaired and wirehaired pointers, and cocker spaniels. Some of these breeds of dogs are among the most popular and numerous in America. Many thousands of Pennsylvanians own dock-tailed breeds.

Unfortunately, this also means that these breeds of dogs are among the most numerous in rescue shelters, and with pet rescue groups. These dogs would be sentenced to death if the legislation becomes law.

Death would be the only choice, as the law prohibits people from adopting these dogs in the absence of proof that a veterinarian performed the docking procedure or that the docking was not done prior to the law’s passage.

People who find a stray dog with a docked tail would be afraid to help the dog or even take it to the local animal shelter, because the mere possession of the dog would make them guilty of a criminal offense. We see the potential for – quite literally - thousands of stray dogs to slowly starve to death and endure incredible agony because people would be afraid to help them.

The legislation turns compassion into a crime.

In addition, dogs born with naturally short tails, or dogs that have lost part of their tails through an injury, also would be sentenced to death if this legislation is approved.

Animal rights groups who support this legislation believe that dogs are better off dead. These groups, such as The Humane Society of the United States and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, oppose the private ownership of animals, even for companionship. PETA, for example, kills close to 2,000 dogs a year at its “shelter” in Virginia alone.

The American Sporting Dog Alliance (ASDA) urges the Pennsylvania Dog Law Advisory Board and the state Legislature to soundly reject this cruel legislation that would send thousands of innocent dogs to their death every year.

ASDA fully supports the rights of dog breeders to make their own choices about docking tails, and to retain the right to choose to use a veterinarian or do the work themselves. Tail docking is a risk-free and painless procedure. Most experienced breeders of dock-tailed breeds are well trained about performing this simple procedure, and there is no evidence that any problems have resulted from it.

Please join us to help fight this legislation. Sporting dog owners truly need your support.

http://www.americansportingdogalliance.org