I know they're not domestic animals but I can't see why, just because they're livestock, they don't recieve the same humane care.

Sorry off topic!

bullocks get done around 24hrs old, it takes a few seconds to fit the ring, cows can be very strange when it comes to there young, one who behaved in a strange manner due to being sedated could be abandonded by its mother or even worse attacked by its mother and also others can join in if they feel the strange calve is a threat to there own calve, I can only talk for the farm my friends have but all the cattle are born in the cattle sheds, sometimes when you give cattle/sheep/horses injections it can cause abcesses, also infection then has an open road so to speak, its best to avoid jags, open wounds in this shed enviroment, its not uncomon for heifers (girly cows) as young as 4 months old to be pregnant,

Tail docking is an emotive subject and does bring out the best and worse in some people when debated.

Comparing dog tail docking to common farming practices is imho a none starter, the vast majority of dog tail docking is for cosmetic reasons with a small minority for genuine working dogs as being deemed necessary.

Unless farmers are actually made to conform with Joe publics demands, then they will continue to use the cheapest or most efficient methods available to them and if they consider its in their best interests to dock/castrate/dehorn or whatever then thats how it will stay, regardless of the pain and suffering the animal may endure.

If Defra were to say ban regular practices then yes, you will be putting your money where your mouth is, it may put a few more pence on your meat or woolies, leather or whatever but the end result wouldn't really be that much.

However the ban or management of these practices would have to extend to imported animals and I really cannot see this happening in such a way that it will all be for the good.




Back on topic

My three dobes and all the litter were undocked, Willow is now 5 years old and we have never had any problems with her tail. The two boys have had the occasional minor injury due to thorns.

I am not blinkered into not seeing the merits of having a docked working dog, I can see the whys and wherefores and would agree that working dogs can and should be docked if its in the animals best future interests to do so. Granted they may suffer pain, but the ongoing health issues and subsequent pain and suffering may very well far outweigh the relatively short period of pain and discomfort from docking.

If the KC had taken action when this subject started to gather pace and introduced its own measures to curb docking, then maybe future prospective owners (and breeders) may have seen the light. Instead it was left to simmer and fester and has now become law.

I see it this way, if all you see are Rotties, Dobes, Boxers etc that are docked then thats what you are going to expect. This is borne out by dog owners comments about our Dobes, a few say "looked better if it was docked" maybe 2%, many say its good to see then with a tail, probably 25%.

But the real kicker is the most common comment of all.

Is that a Dobermann?

I rest my case your honour.