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Animal cruelty
Illegal tail docking
Tail docking is the removal of all or part of a dog's tail. Docking for cosmetic reasons is banned in England and Wales, with only narrow exemptions for certain working dogs carried out by a vet in the first few days of life.
About illegal tail docking
Cutting or banding off a puppy's tail causes pain and removes an important means of canine communication. Routine, cosmetic or breeder docking is illegal.
Limited legal exemptions exist only for specified types of working dog, where a vet docks the tail within the first five days of life and certifies the evidence that the dog is likely to work. Docking outside these rules is an offence.
Signs to look for
- Very young puppies with freshly docked tails outside veterinary care
- Litters routinely docked by a breeder rather than by a vet under the exemption
- Banding/ligatures used to cut off the blood supply to a tail
- Adverts selling docked puppies of non-exempt breeds
The law
The Animal Welfare Act 2006 prohibits tail docking except under specific working-dog exemptions, which require a vet to carry it out within the first five days and to certify the evidence.
Docking that falls outside these exemptions, and causing unnecessary suffering, are offences.
How to report illegal tail docking
If you've witnessed illegal tail docking, please report it to us. Give as much detail as you can safely gather — what you saw, exactly where and when, descriptions of any people, animals or vehicles involved, and any photos or video. Do not put yourself at risk or confront anyone.
If an animal is in immediate danger, or a crime is in progress, call 999.
Report illegal tail docking now