Docking a Dog’s Tail is Cruel

By Emma Fendrick

​Tail docking is a total or partial amputation of a dog’s tail. It is illegal in areas such as England and Australia, however in the United States the legality of tail docking becomes unclear.  This procedure is legal for veterinarians to perform if they have the proper license to do so. However, in many cases dog breeders are taking it upon themselves to do the procedure themselves. I will be discussing the tail docking procedure, risk factors of docking a dog’s tail and also why as a society we dock dogs’ tails. Tail docking is animal abuse and should stop being a common practice. 

Docking a dog’s tail is far more common than many people think. According to the Animal Legal and Historical Center, 130,000 puppies each year in the United States are faced with this cruel surgery. There are many different reasons why tail docking is supported, but essentially doing this to a dog results in poor health conditions. Many of the common reasons for why a dog’s tail is docked, is because they are hunting or working dogs. Many dogs who are considered working or hunting dogs will have their tails cut to diminish the cause of injury to their tail. Another reason is for tail docking is cosmetic purposes. People historically think that breeds such as Boxers, Doberman Pinschers, and the American Pitbullaesthetically look better with shorter tails. In many dog show competitions, docking a dog’s tail for cosmetic reasons have been deemed illegal, however it is still happening. 
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In some cases, however, there are reasons why dogs may have their tails surgically removed, and those are for therapeutic and preventative reasons. If a dog has his or her tail therapeutically removed it means the tail is being removed because it is infectious and diseased. Whereas preventative tail docking is for preventing injury or disease to a dog’s tail. Therapeutic and preventative tail docking can very well be seen as beneficial, but should only occur if a veterinarian thinks it is justified to do so. Most veterinarians today do not support the removal of the tail, unless absolutely necessary.

Like I previously stated, in the United States, technically only licensed veterinarians are permitted to do the tail docking surgery. The surgery itself is painful to the dog, because anesthesia is not commonly used during the surgery. The age of dogs that get their tail docked is between 2 to 5 days of life. While veterinarians attempt to take a more humane approach, 83 to 92% of them are against the surgery.Many dog breeders do the procedure themselves and save $500 if not more in costs. When the breeders do it themselves they use a type of band that stops blood flow to the tail, and ultimately the tail falls off. With both of these methods neither of them always have a healthy recovery outcome. One story with a poor outcome is of a woman who purchased a Doberman Pinscher from a breeder who attempted to dock his tail. This woman took him to the vet because she noticed that he had a small sore on the tip of his tail. After ruling out that the tail was not cancerous,  the vet realized that he had a broken vertebrae, so when the breeder had attempted to dock his tail she cut one of his vertebrae. This is just one story of a dog suffering from an unnecessary procedure. 

Tail docking is a procedure full of unnecessary risks. The band used can cause further issues and infections while the puppy is trying to recover. Many puppies will lick the site of amputation causing infection and possible disease. After the surgery, it is possible that nerve tumors, or neuromas, can begin to form causing the dog to be in more pain. So if this is causing pain to these dogs, why is it a common practice to do? The Animal Legal and Historical Center, says that an easy answer to this is that tail docking has been happening for generations. But this is no reason to not put an end to this animal abuse.

A dog’s tail plays a very important role in their daily lives. The tail serves as a tool used for balance and communication, and the same tail muscle can also help him or her defecate. Having a shorter tail does not stop dogs from fulfilling these behaviors, however docking their tails can definitely have a negative impact. When it comes to swimming, jumping or running, having a shorter tail can make it difficult for them to keep their balance steady or have coordination. Limiting them from their way of life is cruel and shows disrespect to these dogs.

As a society we are not quite considering the dog’s perspective on this cruel surgery. The dogs feel the pain of the surgery and the aftermath during recovery. While in some cases removing part or all of a dog’s tail can be beneficial, it is typically done for our own selfish purposes. Before you decide to go through with this surgery, consult your veterinarian and consider your reasons for wanting to dock your dog’s tail. 
 
 
References
American Veterinary Medical Association. “Welfare Implications of Tail Docking-Dogs.” Avma.org, 29 Jan. 2013, www.avma.org/KB/Resources/LiteratureReviews/Pages/Welfare-Implications-of-Tail-Docking-Dogs-Backgrounder.aspx.
Broughton, Amy L. “Full Title Name:  Cropping and Docking: A Discussion of the Controversy and the Role of Law in Preventing Unnecessary Cosmetic Surgery on Dogs.” Animal Law Legal Center, Jan. 2003, www.animallaw.info/article/cropping-and-docking-discussion-controversy-and-role-law-preventing-unnecessary-cosmetic.
Dr. Winnie. “Dog Tail Docking Procedure, Problems, Cost, Pictures, Why It Is Done, and Dogs with Naturally Docked Tails.” Dogs, Cats, Pets, 24 Aug. 2018, www.dogscatspets.org/dogs/dog-tail-docking/dog-tail-docking-procedure-problems-cost-pictures-done-dogs-naturally-docked-tails/.
jovigirl. “Results of a Bad Tail Dock.” Doberman Chat Forum, 31 May 2011, doberman-chat.com/threads/results-of-a-bad-tail-dock.10207/.
Ward, Ernest. “Tail Docking in Dogs.” vca_corporate, 2009, vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/tail-docking-in-dogs.

Author Bio

Emma Fendrick is a current full-time student at Minnesota State University Mankato. She is an animal lover and has been surrounded by them her whole life. She is currently employed at a veterinary clinic near her home, and hopes to pursue a career in veterinary medicine, and to help create a better life for nonhuman animals.