- Image by Claire_Sambrook via Flickr
Banfield, the largest network of animal hospitals in the US(730 hospitals 2,000 veterinarians), has come out against tail docking, ear cropping and devocalization on dogs. None of these procedures will be sanctioned at their hospitals, except for medically necessary tail surgery.
“After thoughtful consideration and reviewing medical research, we have determined it is in the best interest of the pets we treat, as well as the overall practice, to discontinue performing these unnecessary cosmetic procedures,” says Karen Faunt, vice president for medical quality advancement. “It is our hope that this new medical protocol will help reduce, and eventually eliminate, these cosmetic procedures altogether.”
The AKC has vigorously fought any attempt at State level regulation, where bills banning this procedure have been routinely gutted and shelved.
According to the Elizabeth Weise piece in USA Today, the AKC says “as prescribed in certain breed standards, [they] are acceptable practices integral to defining and preserving breed character, enhancing good health and preventing injuries,” and that “any inference that these procedures are cosmetic and unnecessary is a severe mischaracterization that connotes a lack of respect and knowledge of history and the function of purebred dogs.”
In an April article here on worldwide docking and cropping practices , I noted the AVMA has been trying to get the AKC to alter their breed standards since the mid 1970s, to drop ear cropping and tail docking. They tried to get them to listen to the medical facts every ten years thereafter “The AVMA opposes ear cropping and tail docking of dogs when done solely for cosmetic purposes. The AVMA encourages the elimination of ear cropping and tail docking from breed standards.” They condemn these practices as cruelty not medically beneficial to the patient and tell veterinarians to advise their clients against such procedures. The American Animal Hospital Association is against these procedures, as are the national kennel clubs of 84 nations that are members of the Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI). which also bans these practices. The AKC is not a member.
Banfield has taken a giant step forward; let’s hope others do the same.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=a0568af8-fb26-43d9-a531-bad1dfb595e0)
Hi Mary,
Question, where did you find the data that AVMA has been trying to get the AKC to change their breed standards requiring ear cropping and tail docking?
Just interested in this fact. I'm looking at this issue from another angle/view, that being what about the problems with selective breeding that is causing genetic deformaties, medical problems often requiring corrective surgery, quality of life and welfare issues for dogs that no one seems to want to talk about, especially breeders tied the AKC and AKC.
It seems rather hypocritical to slam cosmetic surgeries while ignoring problems caused by selective breeding and the standards associated with those problems. The problem is interrelated, we make decisions about how we want a dog to look, we achieve this using two methods, selective breeding, sometimes at the cost of an animal’s QOL and cosmetic surgery to fix what we can’t get using that process!!!!
Thanks look forward to hearing back from you.
Joyce Kesling, CDBC
Google AVMA policy, also JAVMA issues. AVMA was working to get cooperation from AKC. Don't know if you've taken a look at the UK and their breed issues that culminated with BBC refusing to televise Crufts due to poor health of breeds due to conformation requirements, Sponsor Purina pulled out…I think there are three stories on this here–if you plug in "Crufts" in the search box, they should all appear. They all link to BBC and other reports.
I think it is more a function of AVMA attempting what should be possible to achieve than anything else. Incremental change seems to be all we are capable of. When you see the UK example, it was the fact that the hew and cry of animal welfare groups got loud enough to get media attention. Then it really snowballed.
Hi Mary,
Question, where did you find the data that AVMA has been trying to get the AKC to change their breed standards requiring ear cropping and tail docking?
Just interested in this fact. I'm looking at this issue from another angle/view, that being what about the problems with selective breeding that is causing genetic deformaties, medical problems often requiring corrective surgery, quality of life and welfare issues for dogs that no one seems to want to talk about, especially breeders tied the AKC and AKC.
It seems rather hypocritical to slam cosmetic surgeries while ignoring problems caused by selective breeding and the standards associated with those problems. The problem is interrelated, we make decisions about how we want a dog to look, we achieve this using two methods, selective breeding, sometimes at the cost of an animal’s QOL and cosmetic surgery to fix what we can’t get using that process!!!!
Thanks look forward to hearing back from you.
Joyce Kesling, CDBC
Mary,
I'm sorry, i meant facts related to the AVMA going back to the 70's. Sorry.
http://www.avma.org/issues/policy/default.asp "1976 POLICY__Suggested by the American Animal Hospital Association and approved by the AVMA House of Delegates__Resolved, that the American Veterinary Medical Association recommend to the American Kennel Club and appropriate breed associations that action be taken to delete mention of cropped or trimmed ears from breed standards for dogs and to prohibit the showing of dogs with cropped or trimmed ears if such animals were born after some reasonable future date."__JAVMA journals also have references.__
Mary, thanks, exactly what i needed something concrete!
Yes, i'm aware of the BBC Crufts impasse, I have the complete independent scientific report commissioned by the RSPCA.
Thanks
ADA covers both aspects in the docked breeds on its website
http://anti-dockingalliance.co.uk
And I really like your "World News" page on which countries have done what on this topic! Thanks for the work you do, and for adding to the conversation!