MANITOBA VETERINARIANS VOTE TO BAN TAIL DOCKING OF DOGS

Veterinarians in Manitoba are now prohibited from docking a dog’s tail.

A large majority of members of the Manitoba Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA) voted to ban the controversial practice through an immediate bylaw amendment during their annual general meeting on Friday.

The amendment, proposed by an association member, was approved after several years of consultations with various stakeholders, an MVMA spokesperson informed CBC on Monday.

Dr. Jonas Watson, owner of Grant Park Animal Hospital, stated, “Veterinary professionals in this province believe that tail docking is not a necessary procedure for young animals, especially since most dogs we see are not working dogs at risk of tail injuries.”

Watson, who previously chaired the Winnipeg Humane Society’s board of directors, explained that tail docking is mainly done for cosmetic reasons. He expressed relief that Manitoba’s veterinarians are no longer allowed to perform the procedure.

“Our primary responsibility is to avoid causing harm, and amputating the tail of a two-day-old puppy causes harm with no clear justification in most cases,” he said.

He further emphasized that tail docking can cause unnecessary pain and harm to young puppies, with potential long-term neurological effects. Additionally, it hampers a dog’s ability to communicate properly with both other dogs and people, as they are no longer able to wag their tails.

Veterinary professionals had the chance to consult on tail docking for two months during the summer of this year, as well as in the summer of 2022, Watson noted.

While some breeds undergo tail docking due to the misconception that non-working dogs face similar risks as working dogs, the practice is more often driven by a desire to conform to a breed’s appearance or standard.

‘Animal protection law really falls short’

The Canadian Kennel Club also participated in last summer’s consultation.

The club’s breed standards do not require tail docking for competition and permit flexibility for breeds traditionally docked for functional purposes, rather than for cosmetic reasons.

In an August 2024 letter to Manitoba’s veterinary association, the club urged its council to “continue allowing licensed veterinarians in Manitoba, who possess the necessary expertise with dog breeds, to determine what is appropriate regarding tail docking.”

The letter further emphasized that Manitoba veterinarians are well-equipped to make decisions in the best interest of the dogs’ health and well-being, including whether tail docking is necessary.

Kaitlyn Mitchell, a Winnipeg-based lawyer and director of legal advocacy with Animal Justice, wished the provincial association had voted to ban the practice sooner.

Mitchell noted that Manitoba’s decision brings the province in line with others, such as Nova Scotia, Quebec, and PEI, which have all enacted strong laws prohibiting tail docking, ear cropping, and cat declawing.

“We’ve seen veterinary associations across Canada increasingly move to ban tail docking and other painful procedures, and several provinces have passed laws making these practices illegal,” she said.

Mitchell believes the next step is for the province to take action to prevent local breeders from continuing the practice of tail docking.

She argues that Manitoba’s Animal Care Act requires amendments.

“We’ve been advocating for an update to the Animal Care Act for a long time, and this is just one example of how the province’s animal protection laws are outdated and need to be modernized,” Mitchell explained.

Watson agrees, noting that the Veterinary Medical Act would also require revisions if breeders were to be prohibited from performing tail docking.

And while he owns a corgi with a docked tail, Watson doesn’t think one way or another about whether he’d have wanted his pet to have a tail or no tail.

“But going forward all of his relatives in the future will have tails,” he said.

Watson acknowledges that some people might fear the worst, imagining that breeders will turn to “underground methods” of tail docking. However, he believes it will just take some time for Manitobans to adjust to seeing dogs that traditionally had their tails docked, now with their full tails intact.

“Tails serve many important functions for dogs. They help with swimming, and they’re essential for communication, expressing a dog’s thoughts and feelings. So when you remove a tail, you’re limiting a dog’s ability to function fully as a dog,” Watson explained.

“It’s better to allow animals to remain as nature intended.”