It is true that you can’t straighten a dog’s tail. But can’t you even “trim” a canine’s wagging tail?
Well, the Veterinary Council of India (VCI) and the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) thought so and, in November 2011, issued an order restraining the Kennel Club of India (KCI) from carrying on ear cropping and tail docking for puppies saying it amounted to cruelty to animals.
However, now the Madras High Court has overruled the two bodies and held that it is perfectly fine for dog owners to have their puppy’s tails docked or ears cropped at the hands of a qualified veterinarian.
The KCI, which conducts around 120 dog shows across India annually, on November 11, 2011 received a communication from the Veterinary Council of India saying that AWBI had intimated it that dogs of certain species were subjected to “avoidable and unnecessary cosmetic surgeries”.
The notice contended that it was illegal to trim the tails or crop an animal’s ears as the dogs undergo immense pain during the procedure, attracting provisions of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
KCI secretary Sudarshan moved the court seeking to quash the notice and also restrain the VCI and AWBI from undue interference on the issue.
Justice D Hariparanthaman held that the AWBI had no authority to issue a direction prohibiting the procedures and the same should be done only by the Central Government.
The judge also quashed the notice issued by the VCI to the Kennel Club.