The Ban On Ear Cropping And Tail Docking Of Hunting Dogs
Article 8 of the Animal Protection Act (performing operations on animals) is as follows:
(1) The partial or total amputation of a sensitive part of an animal’s body is prohibited, including:
...
2. ear cropping and tail docking of dogs, declawing cats, debarking and other operations aimed at changing the phenotypic appearance of animals.
...
(2) Notwithstanding item 1 of article 8 of this regulation, the partial or total amputation or removal of sensitive parts of an animal's body is permitted if anesthesia is administered before the procedure, and analgesic after the procedure, in the case of:
1. legitimate animal health reasons for specific procedures,
2. animal testing,
3. controlled propagation of animals.
(3) Notwithstanding items 1 and 2 of article 8 of this regulation, the partial or total amputation or removal of sensitive parts of an animal's body is permitted for zootechnical purposes including castration; if such procedure prevents pain, suffering and self-injury in animals or animals from harming each other or for safety reasons, and with regard to hunting dogs in accordance with specified dog breed standards, with the use of analgesics, and in cases issued by the Minister.
The Association's proposal:
Article 8
(3) Notwithstanding items 1 and 2 of article 8 of this regulation, the partial or total amputation or removal of sensitive parts of an animal's body is permitted for zootechnical purposes including castration; if such procedure prevents pain, suffering and self-injury in animals or animals from harming each other or for safety reasons, if protection cannot be achieved by other means, with the use of analgesics, and in cases issued by the Minister.
Explanation: We believe that by adding "if protection cannot be achieved by other means" to article 8 item 3, abuse of this regulation can be avoided. The listed exceptions of amputation or removal of sensitive parts of an animal's body should not be implemented to prevent "pain, suffering and self-injury in animals or animals from harming each other or for safety reasons" if there are other methods that can be applied before these drastic methods, which should be the last choice.
Also, the amputation or the removal of body parts of "hunting" dogs because it is set by dog breed standards is not justified and cruel towards dogs. Therefore "hunting" dogs in this case should not be an exception, which is why we propose the omission of this part of the formulation.
During the work of the Modifications and amendments commission on the Animal Protection Act 2015/2016, The Ministry of Agriculture proposed an addition to article 4, item 2 which prohibits "the exhibition of dogs with cropped ears and docked tails, except for hunting dogs".
The Association's proposal:
Article 4
(2) It is forbidden to:
Xx exhibit dogs with cropped ears and docked tails.
Explanation: We support the inclusion of the ban which prohibits the exhibition of dogs with cropped ears and docked tails in the Animal Protection Act. However, there are no medical or any other reasons for excluding "hunting" dogs from the general prohibition of amputation or removal of sensitive parts of an animal's body, so there is no reason to exclude them from the prohibition of the exhibition of dogs with cropped ears and docked tails. The Animal Protection Act would have to unequivocally prohibit the shortening of tails and ears of dogs for aesthetic reasons.
At the Commission's meetings the Association received the explanation that the exception of hunting dogs was proposed because it is necessary to crop their ears and dock their tails due to the nature of their "field work". They noted that they are "working" animals which can hurt their ears or tails during hunting, and therefore it is necessary to crop their ears and dock their tails in order for their owners to avoid veterinary bills for possible injuries. When we inquired whether the Ministry had data on the number of dogs that injured their tails or ears while hunting and whether this number justifies the permission of cropping all "hunting" dogs ears and the docking of their tails, the Ministry did not have an answer.
The Association's proposal for the modification of the Animal Protection Act 2015/2016.
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