"If you dock the tail of a puppy, you could be liable to be prosecuted for animal cruelty.”
The Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals have issued a reminder that tail docking in puppies is illegal.
The ISPCA has taken possession of a number of litters of puppies in recent weeks while investigating separate allegations of illegal tail docking around Ireland.
All of the puppies were removed by ISPCA Inspectors acting as authorised officers under the Animal Health and Welfare Act (AHWA) 2013, and taken to ISPCA Animal Centres for care and rehabilitation.
“The docking of puppies tails by a layperson was criminalised in 2014, on the introduction of the AHWA," ISPCA Chief Inspector Conor Dowling said.
While the law allows for the tails of certain breeds to be docked by a veterinary surgeon in limited circumstances, in practice most vets consider it to be a cruel and unnecessary mutilation, and will not perform the procedure”.
Dowling added: “ISPCA Inspectors still encounter situations where members of the general public have removed puppies’ tails without anaesthetic. It might be claimed that they were unaware of the change in the legislation, but that is no defence under the law.
"If you dock the tail of a puppy, you could be liable to be prosecuted for animal cruelty.”
Investigations are ongoing and a file is being prepared in relation to this matter.
