The government's failure to ban highly controversial shock collars and its plans to reintroduce tail docking have come under fire from animal welfare charities
Animal welfare charities have hit out at the Scottish government over plans they claim are a backward step in the protection of dogs.
The failure to ban electronic shock collars for dogs and cats and the reintroduction of tail docking in some instances have been deeply criticised by OneKind and the Dogs Trust.
Amputating a puppy’s tail is a painful procedure but it is also unnecessary - Paula Boyden
OneKind Director Harry Huyton said: "This is a sad day for dog welfare in Scotland. Reintroducing tail docking and failing to take the opportunity to ban electric shock collars will damage the lives of dogs affected by these practices.
“These decisions also fly in the face of public and expert opinion. Polling from earlier this year shows that three-quarters of the Scottish public back a shock collar ban and want the ban on docking puppy tails to be maintained.”
Announcing its commitment to review offences and penalties for animal cruelty under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006, the Scottish Government unveiled plans to regulate electronic training aids for dogs and cats – “electric shock collars”– rather than ban them, as Wales has done.
Critics however claim shock collars, which use the principle of being aversive to dogs to inhibit behaviour, can cause pain and anxiety. Their use leads to both physiological and behavioural indicators of stress particularly when they cannot be anticipated by the dog.
And despite the fact that tail docking was banned in Scotland in 2007, the government also said it will introduce an exemption to allow the tail docking of spaniel puppies and certain other working breeds.
Today’s announcements will mean that the tails of Spaniel and Hunt Point Retriever puppies can be docked shortly after birth, where a vet believes they are likely to be for use as a working dog and risk serious tail injury in later life.
Paula Boyden, Dogs Trust Veterinary Director said: “Dogs Trust is deeply concerned about the announcement that the Scottish Government will allow certain breeds of dogs to be docked.
“Amputating a puppy’s tail is a painful procedure but it is also unnecessary. Research by the Royal Veterinary College suggests that 500 dogs would need to have their tails docked to prevent one tail injury.
“Tail docking takes place when puppies are just a few days old and so we also question how it can be ensured that only puppies that will go on to be working dogs will have their tails docked.”
The measures were announced by the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform, Roseanna Cunningham MSP, today. The Cabinet Secretary also confirmed the Scottish Government’s intention to ban wild animals in circuses by 2018.
Harry Huyton said: "We are pleased to see Scotland acting quickly to ban this outmoded and inhumane use of animals in the name of entertainment."
There have been no circuses with wild animals based in Scotland in living memory, but circuses with wild animals have toured Scotland over the last decade.
