Prohibited procedures relating to dogs are: ear cropping.
Background. Tail docking and ear cropping of dogs are illegal in all states and territories of Australia. There should be vigilance to ensure these practices are not occurring and that other possible cosmetic procedures do not become commonplace in the future.
You'll likely be glad to hear tail docking and ear cropping are both illegal in all states and territories in Australia.
It's a painful process where a dog's outer ears are removed altogether or are surgically altered, with the tips or huge sections of the outer ear being cut off. It's against the law to carry out this procedure yourself or to send your dog to a vet in this country or abroad to have their ears cropped.
Any non-veterinarian who docks a dog's tail, or any veterinarian who docks for a reason other than the dog's welfare, is liable for prosecution. A maximum penalty of $14,375 applies for individuals and up to 5 times more for corporations. Dog tail docking is banned in all other Australian states and territories.
Ear cropping is illegal in the UK
Ear cropping is illegal in England and Wales, under Section 5 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006. However, the practice is still legal in other parts of the world, such as the USA and Russia.
In 2004, tail docking for non-therapeutic reasons was banned across Australia. Since then it has been illegal to dock dogs' tails unless there is a veterinary medical reason for the operation.
The practice has been performed since ancient times for a number of reasons – there was a belief (which is not unfounded) that long hanging ears are more likely to get ear infections, become damaged or swell with blood. As many dogs back then were hunting dogs or sheepherders, there was some evidence this was correct.
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.
The best age for ear cropping is between 8 and 12 weeks of age, you should plan to contact our office a few weeks prior to this age window to schedule your consultation as we typically book out approximately four weeks for both consultations and surgeries.
Ear cropping surgery is done under anesthesia and takes about 30 minutes to complete. The ears will usually stand upright after being taped for 5 or 6 months, although some Dobermans may take up to one year before the ears will fully stand erect. This is especially true with the longer ear crop.
Animal permits
In Brisbane, you must apply for a: domestic dog permit if you keep more than 2 dogs-maximum of 4.
Basics. There are actually 20 breeds with cropped ears recognized by the AKC. The procedure is usually done with Doberman Pinschers, Boxers, Boston Terriers, or Great Danes. Generally, ear cropping is performed when dogs are between 9 and 12 weeks old.
The most common breeds that undergo ear cropping are: Boxers, Doberman Pinschers, Bully breeds, some Mastiff breeds, Kane-corso, Beauceron, Manchester terrier, Schnauzer and others. Many of us are accustomed to the sleek, clean lines of a Doberman or Great Dane with cropped ears; it's part of the desired look.
The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 makes it an offence for a person to tether an animal for an unreasonable length of time, or by means of an unreasonably heavy or unreasonably short tether.
A guard dog is considered to be a dangerous dog under the Domestic Animals Act 1994 in Victoria. The dog is a dangerous dog for life, even if it stops being used for the purpose of guarding non-residential premises. The owner of the business guarded by the dog is legally considered to be the owner of the dog.
To improve their hearing: FALSE.
Ear cropping was implemented in different breeds for different reasons, most prominently hunting, fighting, and working breeds. Some herding and livestock guardian breeds had their ears cropped because it was thought to improve their hearing. This reasoning is not accurate.
How Is Ear Cropping Done? In order for the ears to heal in the desired upright precision after surgery, they must be “posted” to a hard surface and taped until completely healed. Bandages need to be changed weekly, typically. The entire process can last from 4-8 weeks.
Survey data indicate that preventive tail docking of pet dogs is unnecessary. Therefore tail docking of non-working dogs, even if their breed was originally developed for working purposes, is considered a cosmetic procedure unless evidence exists to the contrary.
Potential Complications—As for any incision, cropped ears may become infected. Cropped ears may also fail to stand or have a distorted shape or position potentially leading to subsequent operations.
Ear cropping is considered mutilation, purely to make a dog look a certain way. It has no benefit to dogs and causes them nothing but pain and trauma. It also robs the dog of the ability to use their ears in communication, and can negatively impact their hearing.
The natural bobbed tail is a recessive gene within the Australian Shepherd dog breed genetic code. This genetic mutation curbs the tail, naturally creating a shortened tail that is only about one or two vertebrae in length.
The Australian Shepherd tail and mini Australian Shepherd tail both often undergo tail docking for the following reasons: It's considered a standard of the breed. An undocked tail is long, messy, and could get matted. To prevent damage from tall grass, weeds, and other outdoor dangers.
Many Have Naturally Short Tails
In addition to having a genetic predisposition for heterochromia, Aussies have a one-in-five chance of being born with a naturally bobbed tail. Ranchers purposely bred Aussies that had these naturally short tails because they are safer when it comes to herding.