(From Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine The Animal Policy Report 1999, 13(2):5)
The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), one of the premier established national veterinary organizations, has joined a growing number of animal protection groups in questioning the need for surgeries done primarily, if not exclusively, for co smetic purposes in dogs. These primarily involve the cropping of ears and/or docking of tails on breeds such as the Great Dane, Doberman, Schnauzer, etc. Although many individual veterinarians no longer perform ear cropping, and to a lesser extent tail do cking, most mainstream veterinary organizations have been reluctant to follow suit. The resolution adopted by the AAHA marks a turning point in this effort, and reads as follows:
"Ear cropping and tail docking in dogs for cosmetic reasons are not medically indicated nor of benefit to the patient. These procedures cause pain and distress, and, as with all surgical procedures, are accompanied by inherent risks of anesthe sia, blood loss, and infection. Therefore, veterinarians should counsel dog owners about these matters before agreeing to perform these surgeries."
For the past six years, the Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights (AVAR) has sponsored somewhat stronger resolutions at the American Veterinary Medical Association annual meeting that oppose ear cropping and tail docking for non-therapeutic r easons. However, so far these resolutions have not been adopted.
[Editor's note: The American Veterinary Medical Association House of Delegates passed an identical resolution at it's July 1999 meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana.]
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