Tail docking of any dog for the sake of appearance is against the law, and only if there is a clear medical reason for doing so, will veterinarians suggest a full or partial tail amputation.
Docking of a dog or puppy’s tail that is done by anyone other than a vet, is considered maiming and you can be prosecuted under the Animal Protection Act.
Two 12-week-old puppies were rescued by the Highveld Ridge SPCA from a backyard in eMbalenhle on Wednesday, 19 July.
Ms Nonnie Sibanyoni, an SPCA fieldworker who was working in the area as part of a Mandela Day outreach to vaccinate dogs against rabies, saw the two young dogs with open wounds where their tails should have been.
“The owner of the house was nowhere to be found, so I knew I had to speak to the inspectors to get a warrant to enter the property legally to seize the animals.”
Armed with a warrant to enter the property, the SPCA went to the house.
The owner was again not available, but this time the SPCA could enter the property and they found four dogs in various states of neglect, 30 chickens and a number of pigeons being kept in terrible conditions.
Many of the chickens had their beaks cut shorter to avoid them from pecking at each other in their cramped cage.
Upon inspection, the two young puppies had large unhealed and painful wounds from botched tail amputations, a fully grown male dog had an amputated tail and a severe wound on his backside and an old female dog was found that showed clear signs of illness and depression.
All the animals were removed from the property and the owner was informed through a man living on the property, to contact the SPCA within seven days and to immediately clean up the yard and make it fit for animals to live in.
Read the complete story in the Ridge Times newspaper.
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