First off - I have to say I met one of the nicest people tonight that I've met in a LONG time - hello to you if you ever do manage to get to read my little blog - thank you for taking the time to talk to me tonight about dog stuff. I learned a TON of stuff - and it was SUPER! I am willing to talk to you anytime you want to!
So lots of good talking going on about yesterday's presentations to the Law Amendments committee about bill 186 - proposed amendments to the Animal Cruelty Prevention Act. As predicted, the purebreed dog fancy people are going particularly nuts about the docking, and cropping aspect of the proposed additions.
LeeAnn O'Reilly, president of the Dog Legislation Council of Canada (Canada's first and unique collaborative effort of rescue volunteers, owners, veterinarians, dog trainers, breeders and handlers to promote responsible dog ownership of all dogs) - in a comment to the Chronicle Herald article says "It is a popular misconception that docking,cropping and dew claw removal are done for " cosmetic " reasons...For owners of working dogs,these alterations are done to prevent disease and injury while the dog performed the tasks it was bred specifically for."
Rottweillers are bred as guard dogs - why would they need their tail cropped for that? My Daisy is pretty good at guarding her food bowl - she didn't need to have her tail amputated to do it though. And when was the last time anyone saw a great dane doing a job it was bred for? Do any of us know what a great dane is bred to do? Or a boxer dog? Or a doberman pinscher? I think doberman's get it at both ends - tails and ears - and dew claws too. Too bad for them - but maybe good for them if the law passes though.
But back to the pure breed dog fanciers - they're the funniest ones. They are completely twisted out of shape. They are saying things like the SPCA has put forward these proposals to divert our attention away from their own scandals in the past months - move our attention over to the breeders now and give the public a new enemy to focus on - the evil breeders who dock and crop their dogs.
They're also saying that the SPCA can't deal with the repeat offenders and animal abusers - so instead they've decided to take the easy way out and hit the law abiding dog owners like the people of the pure breed dog fancy - and what their ultimate goal is - is to take away pet ownership all together. Can you imagine? An organization as benign and benevolent as the NS SPCA? Now the Nova Scotia Humane Society is another story - but the NS SPCA I feel pretty confident in saying is NOT a radical animal rights organization. I am PRETTY sure....
And I'm very happy to see that Granny has been prostyletyzing on her new blog once again - so we can learn some new insights from her - she's got some great posts over there about bill 186 - 2 just from today - one called "Talking to Politicians part 1" and "Sufficient Unto the Day" - welcome back Granny. I missed you.
Rotties aren't bred to be guard dogs. Well maybe now, but it's not what they were originally bred for. That job was herding, They don't need a tail for that! It would just get in the waycatel
ReplyDeletefrom: http://caninebreeds.bulldoginformation.com/rottweiler-history.html
ReplyDeleteThe Rottweiler is a medium large, strong-minded and powerful dog breed originating from Germany. The breed is of ancient origin but its true history remain misty to this day. In Germany it was first called the Rottweiler Metzgerhund which translates literally as the 'butcher's dog
from Rottweil', because it was utilized as a butcher's dog in the whole region around Rottweil.
Rottweil is a city lying on the banks of the River Neckar in the Land of Baden-Würtenberg,
between Stuttgart and Freiburg. The city of Rottweil used to havea famous cattle market, where
this dog was used as a cattle drover, hence its name "Rottweiler". The city itself dates back to 73
A.D. when it was founded by the Romans and baptized Arae Flaviae. The current name "Rottweil" dates from 771 and means "red villa" (rote Villa in German, and in the year 771 "Rotuvila") which probably referred to the color of the ancient Roman villas. The cattle-dealers swept the country around Rottweil, buying cattle and driving them to market. Their dogs not only had to possess excellent driving abilities, but they also had to be intimidating to protect their owner from thieves and bandits that infested the region The dogs were so trusted that it was common practice to attach the moneybags required for trade to the collars of the dogs and it was said that the neck of a Rottweiler was safer than any bank vault.
With the arrival of the industrial revolution in the 19th century, the breed had declined so much that in 1900 it was almost extinct. Cattle were now being moved by rail rather than along
country roads, and the Rottwiler gradually became obsolete. Then, with the outbreak of World War I, it found an important new role as a military service dog in the German army. Its enormous strength, its intelligence, and its ability to take orders proved during the War opened a new blossoming career as a guard dog after the war, and the Rottweiler's numbers began to rise again.
The following countries have banned docking, ear cropping etc. and appropriate countries have signed up to the Council of Europe's Convention for the Welfare of Pet Animals: AUSTRALIA - 2004
ReplyDeleteAUSTRIA - 2005
BELGIUM -2006
CYPRUS - 1991
DENMARK - 1991 DENMARK - 2005 DENMARK - Docked dogs can no longer be shown
ESTONIA - 2001
FINLAND - 1996 FINLAND has banned all dogs with docked tails or cropped ears from competing in dog shows, as they were concerned that exhibitors may try to bend the rules by exporting their stock to countries where docking is still allowed, and then re-importing them to show. This closes the loophole in a country which has benned docking and cropping.
GERMANY signed 1989 and ratified 1998 Latest from Germany In accordance with the "Tierschutz-Hundeverordnung" (animal protection dog regulations) from 1st May 2002 the following dogs will be banned from participating at dog shows both at home and abroad:
1. Ears cropped after 01.01.1987
2. Tails cropped after 01.06.87 (exception: dogs used for hunting in accordance with German law for the protection of animals)
3. The ban is not enforced in exceptional cases if a medical indication is known, the corresponding certification must be enclosed together with the entry.
ICELAND - 2001
ISRAEL (6/01) Legislation under the "Cruelty to Animals (Animal Protection) Law" has recently amended by the addition of a ban on the performance of surgical procedures in animal tissue "for cosmetic purposes". The ban includes the docking of tails or cutting of ears in dogs. http://www.israelembassy.org.uk/web/pages/newlegis.htm
LUXEMBOURG - 1991
NETHERLANDS - 2000
NORWAY - 1987
SWEDEN 1988 and ratified 1992
SWITZERLAND banned docking in 1997 and currently only docked dogs over 5 months old can be imported into Switzerland.
SOUTH AFRICA - from 2007 Vets will not be permitted to dock. This has been postponed to June 2008 for administrative reasons.
UNITED KINGDOM - England wef 6th April 2007, - excluding therapeutic and for certain truly working breeds governed by regulation . Dogs born after 6th April 2007 cannot be shown with docked tails at public fee paying shows in England and Wales but can be in Scotland.
UNITED KINGDOM - Wales wef 28th March 2007 - excluding therapeutic and for certain truly working breeds governed by regulation (see below). Dogs born after 6th April 2007 cannot be shown with docked tails at public fee paying shows in England and Wales but can be in Scotland.
UNITED KINGDOM - Scotland wef 30th April, 2007. They cannot be taken across borders to be docked. Dogs in whelp taken across borders could be subject to the Council Regulation (EC) no 1/2005.
UNITED KINGDOM - N. Ireland - still under consultation. The Amended 1991 Veterinary Surgeons' Act prevails meanwhile
VIRGIN ISLANDS 6/5/2005 - The V.I. Senate overrode the veto of the Senate's version of the legislation yesterday. This means that docking ears and tails is considered first-degree animal abuse. Because this was a veto override, it automatically becomes law.
TURIN & ROME (plus compulsory dog walking)
The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association believes that cosmetic surgery is unnecessary. Surgical alterations in cases of injury or for reasons of health are not considered cosmetic. Examples of cosmetic procedures include:
1. Tail docking in the equine, bovine, or canine species;
2. Tail nicking/setting in the equine species;
3. Ear cropping in the canine species; and
4. Onychectomy in species other than the domestic cat.
CANADA - The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association believes that cosmetic surgery is unnecessary. Surgical alterations in cases of injury or for reasons of health are not considered cosmetic. Examples of cosmetic procedures include:
1. Tail docking in the equine, bovine, or canine species;
2. Tail nicking/setting in the equine species;
3. Ear cropping in the canine species; and
4. Onychectomy in species other than the domestic cat.
The CVMA recommends that breed associations change their breed standards so that cosmetic procedures are not required. (Revised, November 2000)
AMERICAN VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION (AVMA)
a) Ear Cropping and Tail Docking
Ear cropping and tail docking in dogs for cosmetic reasons are not medically indicated nor of benefit to the patient. These procedures cause pain and distress, and, as with all surgical procedures, are accompanied by inherent risks of anaesthesia, blood loss, and infection. Therefore, veterinarians should counsel dog owners about these matters before agreeing to perform these surgeries
http://www.vin.com/VINDBPub/SearchPB/Proceedings/PR05000/PR00014.htm
It seems that the DLCC and the "pure breed dog fancy" people have finally come out and shown their true colours. I had always suspected that they were both enemies of rescue and opponents to the prevention of cruelty.
ReplyDeleteEnemies of rescue you say? I do indeed. Think about it, every person that chooses to adopt from a shelter or a rescue means a lost sale for their "pure" breeds. I suspect that much of the false information around rescue and the viability of rescued dogs as good pets has come from the mouths of greedy breeders.
And now they show themselves as not only greedy but cruel and vain. Butchering your dog for your own vanity is quite disgusting don't you think?
Joan: I sent this letter to the TJ on Sept 3rd. Congratulations to the NB Vet Association for taking a stand on unnecessary and painful cosmetic surgery.The CKC dog show standards (Vanity Fair Standards)are ridiculous with respect to these standards. They couldn't selective breed this trait so they had to resort to cosmetic surgery.The surgery the CKC should require of their members is spay/neuter of all dogs sold to non CKC members. By requiring this they would help society move one step closer to "No Kill" in the Nations animal shelters and make it more difficult for "Puppy Mills" to aquire breeding stock. RG.
ReplyDelete