Tale of Tails – Why Should Tail Docking and Ear Cropping be Banned?

Okay, I admit that I can't fight alone. I would like you to raise your voice against cruelty to animals. Any sort of surgery unless otherwise supported by any therapeutic reason(s) are treated to be cosmetic. I tell you frankly, if you are trying to defend yourself by laying down all illogical reasons that have been live on the web since years, you are not amongst those zillions of peeps, who are truly in love with animals. Please don't introduce yourself as an animal lover. I would like to listen to no theory to support such an inhuman practice, unless there is any underlying medical reason.

Tail docking in dogs and horses, cropping of ears and de-vocalization (de-barking surgery) in dogs are the most inhuman act that have been in practice since time immemorial. The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) has opposed cropping of dogs' ears and docking of tail for cosmetic purposes. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has been encouraging vets to aware the dog owners of the risks and lack of medical benefits in this regard. Tail docking for cosmetic purposes has been legally banned for all breeds since 1989 in Sweden. The British Veterinary Association, the DEFRA Animal Welfare Veterinary Team, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, The Companion Animal Welfare Council, the British Small Animal Veterinary Association, the Sligo Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals have strongly expressed their view points against tail docking and ear cropping. Many countries, for instance, Australia Austria, Germany, Israel, South Africa, Sweden, USA and a lot more have banned the practice by enforcement of law. Yet still an incredibly huge part of the dog lovers population are engaged in such nonsense practices.

Why should you avoid tail docking?

Because cosmetic surgery is unnecessary. Ear cropping and tail docking has no medical benefit, nor does these types of surgery increase the working ability of a breed.

One of the latest reports laid down by The Advocates for Animals, claims that tail docking causes acute pain to the new born puppies and most of the times the pain persists through out the entire life, causing behavioral problems.

The tail is one of the most vital organ that helps them communicate and express their emotions that are compromised by amputing it. Tail provides the most significant role in balance and agility. Once docked the animal sometimes looses psychological balance and might behave aggressively. This type of faulty behavior results from a faulty signals between the brain and the missing organ. Neurons in the brain continue sending out signals to the tail (to express the sign of communication), but the dog can't carry out the action because the organ is actually missing.

Researchers have also come up with evidences that tail docking weakens the pelvic muscles and those at the perineal region. Researchers have evidences to support the fact that this can cause faecal incontinence, perineal hernia and urinary incontinence in female dogs.

The surface of the dogs' tails have supracaudal scent glands (also called Violet Gland), which helps in intra-species signaling and scent marking – Olfactory signaling. The supracaudal glands or the Violet glands, in dogs, are found approximately right above the 9th caudal vertebra and secretes protein and lipids (molecules includes fats and oils, waxes, phospholipids, steroids). This means when you ampute the tail you are removing this vital gland too. The greeting pattern in dogs usually differs from breed to breed, due to the presence or absence of supracaudal scent glands. Since the supracaudal gland supports the olfactory signaling, the absence of the gland causes lack of ear movement , tail wagging (which is stepped in the first place by mutilating it). This, in turn, causes a change in communicative behavior.

While docking tails or cropping ears, most of the time you injure certain nerves, resulting Neuropathic pain (commonly called Phantom pain or Phantom Limb Pain – PLP). Phantom Pain or Phantom Limb Pain is a type of pain that can result from injury to nerves, either in the peripheral or central nervous system. PLP is often described as a hot and burning sensation that can other nerves and can be really devastating at times. People have not yet been spared a thought over this issue.

If you are still trying to put some trash logic to support ear cropping and tail docking, I would like to see you ampute your right hand thumb first. And if it's already done for any medical reason, please move a step ahead and cut off your right hand entirely. Well, I won't mind if you cut your tongue out completely for cosmetic purpose instead of de-vocalizing your pet.