Post by ashlaren on Apr 2, 2006 13:06:26 GMT 1
The following is a true account of one of my experiences following the tail docking ban in Australia. This article has been reprinted in numerous magazines here in Australia and overseas with my permission. If you wish to reprint this article, please contact me first (Lainie Knox, Ashlaren Weimaraners, Australia http://www.ashlaren.com)
I want to bring to the attention of your readers and those responsible for passing the senseless laws regarding banning tail docking in this country of my recent heart wrenching experience because of this tail docking ban and the consequences endured by a Weimaraner puppy that I bred.
This Weimaraner puppy was born on 1st November, 2004. His name is Shadow – his name suits him perfectly, as he began his life loving everyone and was never far from those he loved. His tail was not docked as required by the law. He stood out as a very exuberant and extremely happy puppy and in his joy of being alive and discovering an exciting world full of wonderful things to explore and people to love; he wagged his long, thin tail vigorously and constantly in his happiness. As a result – you guessed it –this led to a tail that developed unsightly lacerations which bled whenever it banged against anything in proximity. This beautiful puppy began to suffer from his severe lacerations on his long, thin tail. The hair on the Weimaraner’s tail tends to be more sparsely covered compared to the well protected tails of some other dog breeds.
Nothing seemed to help in the healing of his damaged tail. Shadow’s outgoing nature still made him wag his tail a lot; until he hit something within striking distance, then the pain of the impact would make him yelp and the bleeding would start all over again. Taking him to a dog show in a dog trailer would inevitably result in the walls of the dog trailer being splattered in blood, not to mention the state of the other dogs in the trailer also going to a show. The best description of the appearance of the show dogs on arriving at a show would be to say it looked like they had all been involved in a massacre! It was useless bathing and grooming dogs in readiness for the ring, let alone arriving at a show in an outfit ready to exhibit the dogs. A change of clothes was necessary as blood would inevitably splatter over the clean pants and jacket as the puppy was taken out of the trailer – of course he thought that going to a dog show was great fun, so there was more wagging and spraying of blood all over the clean clothes and other dogs etc! (see photo of my blood splattered dog trailer – up the walls and door.) One word describes all this – CRUELTY!
The sight of Shadow’s lacerated tail was sickening. I began to feel guilty watching him endure constant discomfort and decided that his welfare must come first, tail docking ban or not! I took the puppy along with several photos of his tail and the blood covered interior of the dog trailer to Campbelltown North Animal Hospital. He was aged 4 and half months. The veterinarian quickly assessed the situation, writing in the report that the puppy’s tail was traumatised and should be amputated. It was decided to amputate the tail that same day and following a General Anaesthetic and an overnight stay in hospital, Shadow was allowed to come home the following morning.
The surgical amputation of this puppy’s tail was necessary, but expensive. He now has a thickly padded bandage on his shorter tail and wears an Elizabethan collar around his head so as to stop him chewing the bandages off and thus ruining the surgical procedure. He is on medication so as no infection can attack the end of the tail where it was amputated. I have been advised that it could take several months before the tail is completely healed.
Since the surgery and the puppy’s experience of wearing a thick bandage and an Elizabethan collar around his little neck, I have noticed a marked change to his once outgoing personality. He is reluctant to be touched and looks frightened and cowers when approached. Remember, this was the happy, exuberant puppy with a great love of life and people. I can only hope that this is a temporary setback as he was such a promising show dog in every way, both in conformation and personality, but especially he had such wonderful happy temperament so desirable in a future show dog. Now Shadow seems to be only a ‘shadow’ of his former self!
All of this stress and trauma could have all been so easily prevented if Shadow had had his tail docked to the length as per the breed standard set so long ago by the knowledgeable forefathers of our breed. At two days of age, his tail would have been painlessly docked as his nerve endings are undeveloped at this stage. I have never seen pups traumatized in any way by tail docking at two days of age – they have little reaction, if any, and once docked go happily back to feeding or sleeping. The cut heals very quickly without the need for medication. The trauma suffered by this Weimaraner puppy at 4 and half months is far more serious and upsetting to watch and I feel guilty that I am the one that was being cruel to the pup for not having docked his tail in the first place and thus allowing him to suffer so much. Thank goodness that in Denmark, the anti tail docking law has now been reversed for some breeds as it has been evidenced that non tail docking in some breeds, including the Weimaraner, leads to far more serious consequences and needless suffering for the animal. Denmark, unlike Australia, is a country that believes in Animal Welfare and does not bow to those who have little knowledge of the benefits of tail docking in certain breeds of dogs!
What a disgusting and heartless ordeal this poor little pup has had to endure just for the sake of not having his tail docked at two days of age when he would not have had any trauma at all, but now this young pup is being subjected to a long, slow healing process of many months. Now he will continue to suffer for a long time until his newly amputated tail is completely healed! I also hope that his love of life is not tainted forever as a consequence of what he has had to endure in the early months of his life.
This is just one experience I have related as a result of the tail docking ban. I have also had young puppies with broken tails, but I guess the anti tail docking gang are really not all that interested in the problems associated with puppies with long, thin, sparsely coated tails. It is only now that all these problems associated with the tail docking ban are beginning to emerge! Surely, given time, there will be a wealth of similar stories that should sicken anyone concerned about animal welfare.
As a footnote, I just wonder if all those “do gooders” who are against tail docking, would be prepared to pay for the huge veterinary expenses I have now had to pay as well as my time spent monitoring this young pup so as his tail tries to heal as quickly as possible, thus avoiding further stress and damage to his tail!
As they say in the classics, “I think NOT!”
Sincerely,
Lainie Knox
Ashlaren Weimaraners
Wilton. NSW
I want to bring to the attention of your readers and those responsible for passing the senseless laws regarding banning tail docking in this country of my recent heart wrenching experience because of this tail docking ban and the consequences endured by a Weimaraner puppy that I bred.
This Weimaraner puppy was born on 1st November, 2004. His name is Shadow – his name suits him perfectly, as he began his life loving everyone and was never far from those he loved. His tail was not docked as required by the law. He stood out as a very exuberant and extremely happy puppy and in his joy of being alive and discovering an exciting world full of wonderful things to explore and people to love; he wagged his long, thin tail vigorously and constantly in his happiness. As a result – you guessed it –this led to a tail that developed unsightly lacerations which bled whenever it banged against anything in proximity. This beautiful puppy began to suffer from his severe lacerations on his long, thin tail. The hair on the Weimaraner’s tail tends to be more sparsely covered compared to the well protected tails of some other dog breeds.
Nothing seemed to help in the healing of his damaged tail. Shadow’s outgoing nature still made him wag his tail a lot; until he hit something within striking distance, then the pain of the impact would make him yelp and the bleeding would start all over again. Taking him to a dog show in a dog trailer would inevitably result in the walls of the dog trailer being splattered in blood, not to mention the state of the other dogs in the trailer also going to a show. The best description of the appearance of the show dogs on arriving at a show would be to say it looked like they had all been involved in a massacre! It was useless bathing and grooming dogs in readiness for the ring, let alone arriving at a show in an outfit ready to exhibit the dogs. A change of clothes was necessary as blood would inevitably splatter over the clean pants and jacket as the puppy was taken out of the trailer – of course he thought that going to a dog show was great fun, so there was more wagging and spraying of blood all over the clean clothes and other dogs etc! (see photo of my blood splattered dog trailer – up the walls and door.) One word describes all this – CRUELTY!
The sight of Shadow’s lacerated tail was sickening. I began to feel guilty watching him endure constant discomfort and decided that his welfare must come first, tail docking ban or not! I took the puppy along with several photos of his tail and the blood covered interior of the dog trailer to Campbelltown North Animal Hospital. He was aged 4 and half months. The veterinarian quickly assessed the situation, writing in the report that the puppy’s tail was traumatised and should be amputated. It was decided to amputate the tail that same day and following a General Anaesthetic and an overnight stay in hospital, Shadow was allowed to come home the following morning.
The surgical amputation of this puppy’s tail was necessary, but expensive. He now has a thickly padded bandage on his shorter tail and wears an Elizabethan collar around his head so as to stop him chewing the bandages off and thus ruining the surgical procedure. He is on medication so as no infection can attack the end of the tail where it was amputated. I have been advised that it could take several months before the tail is completely healed.
Since the surgery and the puppy’s experience of wearing a thick bandage and an Elizabethan collar around his little neck, I have noticed a marked change to his once outgoing personality. He is reluctant to be touched and looks frightened and cowers when approached. Remember, this was the happy, exuberant puppy with a great love of life and people. I can only hope that this is a temporary setback as he was such a promising show dog in every way, both in conformation and personality, but especially he had such wonderful happy temperament so desirable in a future show dog. Now Shadow seems to be only a ‘shadow’ of his former self!
All of this stress and trauma could have all been so easily prevented if Shadow had had his tail docked to the length as per the breed standard set so long ago by the knowledgeable forefathers of our breed. At two days of age, his tail would have been painlessly docked as his nerve endings are undeveloped at this stage. I have never seen pups traumatized in any way by tail docking at two days of age – they have little reaction, if any, and once docked go happily back to feeding or sleeping. The cut heals very quickly without the need for medication. The trauma suffered by this Weimaraner puppy at 4 and half months is far more serious and upsetting to watch and I feel guilty that I am the one that was being cruel to the pup for not having docked his tail in the first place and thus allowing him to suffer so much. Thank goodness that in Denmark, the anti tail docking law has now been reversed for some breeds as it has been evidenced that non tail docking in some breeds, including the Weimaraner, leads to far more serious consequences and needless suffering for the animal. Denmark, unlike Australia, is a country that believes in Animal Welfare and does not bow to those who have little knowledge of the benefits of tail docking in certain breeds of dogs!
What a disgusting and heartless ordeal this poor little pup has had to endure just for the sake of not having his tail docked at two days of age when he would not have had any trauma at all, but now this young pup is being subjected to a long, slow healing process of many months. Now he will continue to suffer for a long time until his newly amputated tail is completely healed! I also hope that his love of life is not tainted forever as a consequence of what he has had to endure in the early months of his life.
This is just one experience I have related as a result of the tail docking ban. I have also had young puppies with broken tails, but I guess the anti tail docking gang are really not all that interested in the problems associated with puppies with long, thin, sparsely coated tails. It is only now that all these problems associated with the tail docking ban are beginning to emerge! Surely, given time, there will be a wealth of similar stories that should sicken anyone concerned about animal welfare.
As a footnote, I just wonder if all those “do gooders” who are against tail docking, would be prepared to pay for the huge veterinary expenses I have now had to pay as well as my time spent monitoring this young pup so as his tail tries to heal as quickly as possible, thus avoiding further stress and damage to his tail!
As they say in the classics, “I think NOT!”
Sincerely,
Lainie Knox
Ashlaren Weimaraners
Wilton. NSW
