AVMA Comes Out Against Ear Cropping and Tail Docking
I mentioned in a recent post that veterinarians are becoming increasingly reluctant to crop ears and dock tails for cosmetic purposes or to meet breed standards.
Many vets, myself included, purposefully have not learned the procedures and have not familiarized themselves with breed standards. I have amputated tails and ears during my career, but I have done so only when medically necessary.
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) is the nation’s leading organization of veterinarians. I am a member. It is my opinion that the AVMA has a less-than-perfect track record on animal welfare issues. The AVMA’s position on Proposition 2 was, in my opinion, an example of poor leadership by a very important organization.
However, less-than-perfect is not the same as all bad. The AVMA has just released a position statement on ear cropping and tail docking that I feel is extraordinarily well reasoned. Here it is.
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.
A recent article in DVM Newsmagazine quotes Dr. Ron DeHaven, chief executive officer of the AVMA, elaborating on the AVMA’s new position statement.
“For many years the AVMA has acknowledged that ear cropping and tail docking of dogs for cosmetic purposes are not medically indicated nor of benefit to our canine patients,” DeHaven explains. “If it can be responsibly demonstrated that the purpose of performing the procedure is to protect the health and welfare of the dog, then of course the association would support the appropriate surgery.”
Dr. DeHaven, I couldn’t have said it better than you.
About the photo: I think Spooner the Doberman/Dobie mix looks adorable with floppy ears and a long tail!
You have questions. 
To quote from Black Beauty: “people who want to justify docking dogs and horses should try clipping their children’s ears and noses if they want them to look ‘plucky’ and ’sharp’.”
Amen. Stop needless animal mutilation.
I have a good friend that got a dobbie and had her ears done. The tail was already done. At any rate after she picked her up from vets office she told me she would never have it done again. It is extremely painful and she was very sorry she had put her dog through that. The vets need to say no like so many of them have around here about de clawing cats. They say that is extremely painful also not to mention putting them in a bad position when on the out side with no nails. I say no to both
THe ONLY thing I have ever read as a reason for cutting a dog’s tail off was that years and years ago working dogs had their tails bobbed and the owner didn’t have to pay taxes on it as the bobbed tail indicated it was a working dog. Will we do ANYTHING to get out of paying taxes????? I don’t know if it’s true or not but it was the only thing I’ve ever seen as a reason.
I chose my poodle puppy almost at birth and refused to have it’s tail bobbed. People often think she is a mix because she has a tail. I love seeing her tail wag indicating she is happy -that’s hard to do on my other poodle who was a rescue and already had his tail cut off. It seems so cruel to do that just for looks.
This is all well enough for some breeds . Once having dealt with broken tails and ripped off dew claws with terriers, one will temper their opinion strictly to the breed and lifestyle. One broad stroke does not suit all.
My rat terrier does not have her tail docked. I think that even
“breed standards” are noting that this is not reason to disqualify
the animal from their placement within their breed category.
There is no way I could take away her happy tail.
I quote from the professionals who state that: ” a wagging tail
is connected to a dog’s heart”.
Who could whack that off?
How about stopping declawing – the most cruel thing that vets do to cats. It is illegal all over the world, except in America. If you don’t want a cat to scratch your furniture, don’t get a cat!
Cosmetic surgery on animals for the sake of their people should be outlawed. There are always medical reasons that require a certain degree of cosmetic or reconstructive surgery for the sake of the animal’s health. But for the sake of the people? Or furniture? Or looks??? Please. If you want plastic surgery, go for it on you own body. Then it is YOUR body, YOUR decision, YOUR pain.
Thank God this is coming out! As a back specialist, the idea of cutting off an extension of the spine is horrible. Also, in nature there is no “extra’ or artifact, there is a real reason that dogs developed tails. I often find that docked dogs have to shake their whole bodies to express themselves and they often have back trouble as they age.
I used Feldenkrais to keep my Schnauzer, Jude, walking despite spine surgery and part of his balance was from his undocked tail.
[...] on this blog already that I do not perform cosmetic ear cropping or tail docking. You can click here or here for my [...]
We got our Brindle Boxer in Germany. Docking and cropping are illegal there. So many wonderful expressions are made with their ears and tails. Especially, the crooked way they extend the tails when they are angry. It could be a dangerous situation without this warning.
RE: Anna’s comment,
I suppose you are someone who would “whack” off a
tail then…
There is a three-legged dog who often chases me on my
bike, (I call him Tripod) and I expect that he was relieved
of his leg after chasing a car.
I can absolutely agree that an emergency situation would
be cause for an amputation.
I know of numerous dogs who chase after bikes and cars.
I think that it would be a “broad” statement then to
advise pet owners to whack off the legs of their animals
in order to avoid the pain of potential car accidents.
That is a radical idea. I believe the tail cropping was first
done to separate working dogs from pets. There was a
tax imposed so the cropped- tailed pet owners avoided the
tax. I am not having to pay any additional funds for my
pet’s longer tail. I have stepped on my dog’s tail more
than once when she gets underfoot. She yipes about it but
gets over it. It’s kinda like getting your toes stepped on I imagine.
I haven’t seriously considered getting my toes whacked off either,
ouch!
I AM COMPLETELY AGAINST CROPPING DOGS EARS AND AGAINST DOCKING DOGS EARS!!!!!!!!! THINK ABOUT IT, WOULD YOU LIKE THE FEELING OF SOMEONE CUTTING OF PARTS OF YOUR BODY AND THEN FEELING WORSE AFTER IT HAPPENS? ALSO THINK WHAT IF THE EARS DONT GO THE WAY YOU WANT THEM TO? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? DUMP THE DOG OUT ON THE STREETS?