Meeting of the Parliament 21 June 2017
The Prohibited Procedures on Protected Animals (Exemptions) (Scotland) Regulations 2010 imposed an outright ban on tail docking of all dogs. Today’s draft regulations would amend those regulations to allow an exemption for tail shortening by a veterinary surgeon in limited circumstances, but only for the purpose of benefiting dog welfare and only in connection with breeds that are used in shooting activities.
This is a very emotive and divisive issue but, as Liam McArthur said, there are welfare issues on both sides of the debate. We firmly believe that shortening the tails of puppies that are at risk of tail injury while engaged in lawful shooting activities in later life will improve the welfare of those dogs. Research that was commissioned from the University of Glasgow showed that, in one shooting season alone, around one seventh of working dogs sustained at least one tail injury, with a higher incidence for certain breeds.
In line with the research findings, however, we intend that shortening should apply only to those dogs that are most at risk. The proposed exemption therefore applies only to the two types of working dog—spaniels and hunt point retrieve dogs—that are most at risk and most commonly used in those lawful activities. The regulations will also ensure, as far as possible, that only those dogs that are likely to be used for lawful shooting purposes can have their tails shortened and that that can be done only by veterinary surgeons.