European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals

100+ breeds threatened with extinction?

The Council of Docked Breeds has followed the progress of the Convention for some years and is concerned that issues like docking and the removal of dew claws are lust a part of a far wider agenda which would impact very seriously upon dog breeders as a whole. The latest resolutions serve to confirm our concerns, There can now be no doubt that, if all its provisions were adopted, we would see the end of many breeds we currently know and love In addition to the docked breeds, those which have dew claws removed will suffer along with many other breeds which the Convention wants to drastically alter Breeds affected include the following;

Afghan Hounds, Airedale Terrier, American Cocker Spaniel, Australian Silky, Australian Shepherd Australian Terrier Basenji, Basset Hound, Beagle, Bedlington Terrier, Belgian Shepherd Dog, Bernese Mountain Dog, Bichon Frise, Blue Merle Collie, Bloodhound, Border Collie, Borzoi, Boston Terrier, Bouvier des Flandres Boxer, Bracco Italians, Brittany Spaniel, Bull Terrier, Bulldog, Cairn Terrier, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Chihuahua, Chow Chow, Climber Spaniel, Cocker Spaniel, Collie, Dachshund, Dalmatian, Dandie Dinmont Terrier, Doberman, English Setter, English Springer Spaniel, English Toy Terrier, Fell Terrier, Field Spaniel, Finnish Spit, German Shorthaired Pointer, German Wirehaired Pointer, Giant Schnauzer, Glen of Imaal Terrier, Gordon Setter, Great Dane, Greyhound, Griffon Bruxellois Hungarian Vizsla Irish Setter, Irish Terrier, Irish Wolfhound, Italian Spinone, Jack Russell Terrier, Japan Chin, Kerry Blue Terrier, King Charles Spaniel, Lakeland Terrier, Large Munsterlander, Manchester Terrier Miniature Pinscher, Miniature Poodle, Miniature Schnauzer, Merle Corgi, Merle Bobtail, Neapolitan Mastiff, Newfoundland, Norfolk Terrier, Norwegian Buhund Norwich Terrier, Old English Sheepdog, Papillon, Patterdale Terrier, Parson Jack Russell Terrier, Pekingese, Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Persian Cat, Pinscher, Polish Lowland Sheepdog, Pomeranian, Pug, Rottweiler, Saluki Schipperke, Schnauzer, Scottish Fold Cat, Sealyham Terrier, Shar Pei, Shetland Sheepdog, Shin Tot, Smooth Fox Terrier, Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, Spanish Water Dog, Standard Poodle, St Bernard, Sussex Spaniel, Swedish Lapphund, Swedish Vallhund, Tibet Terrier, Toy Poodle, Weimaraner, Welsh Springer Spaniel, Welsh Terrier, Whippet, Wirehaired Fox Terrier, Yorkshire Terrier

THE CASE FOR DOCKING

The Council of Europe

he Council of Europe Is NOT the same as the European Union. It is an association of 41European States which seeks accord on matters related to the environment, culture etc. The fifteen European Union member states are however, all members of the Council of Europe.

Its Conventions do not carry the force of law, and member states that sign up to them are not obliged to alter their national legislation unless they ratify the Convention. Even so, Conventions do carry considerable influence and moral force Resolutions do have to be adhered to in countries, which have ratified a Convention

Their decisions are transmitted to member governments either as recommendations or as European Conventions and agreements binding on the states that ratify them.

Extracts from the Convention follow to help you understand the serious Implications:

Original Convention Adopted 13 November 1987

Article 10

Surgical Operations

· Surgical operations for the purpose of modifying the appearance of a pet animal or for

other non-curative purposes shall be prohibited and, in particular, a the docking of tails,

	- The cropping of ears,
	- Devocalisation,
	- Declawing and defanging

Exceptions to these prohibitions shall be permitted only:

- If a veterinarian Considers non-curative procedures necessary either for veterinary medical reasons or for the benefit of any particular animal.

- To prevent reproduction.

	Operations in which the animal will or is likely to experience severe pain shall be carried out under anaesthesia only by a veterinarian or under his supervision
	Operations for which no anaesthesia is required shop be carried out by a person competent rider national legislation.

Reservations, Article 21

Any State may, at the time of signatory or when depositing it's instrument of ratification acceptance, approval or accession, declare that it avails itself to one or more reservations respect of Article 6 and Article10, paragraph 1, subparagraph a .

No other reservations may be made.

Thirteen of the forty one member states of the Council of Europe have now signed and ratified the Convention:

Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic. Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Sweden and Switzerland.

However, Five of these have entered a reservation excluding themselves from the provisions of Article 10, which relates to tail docking:

Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Luxembourg,

France, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey have signed the convention

But to date have not ratified it,

All of the above information is correct as at 9th February 2000

The U.K. is not a signatory to the Convention and was not represented at the meeting on

10th March 1995.

The International Dog Organization (FCI) represented dog breeders at the meeting

The following Resolutions were adopted

10 March 1995

The following two Resolutions were adopted on 10th March 1995 they extend the power of the original Convention and Increase the number of breeds affected

1. Resolution on surgical operations on pet animals.

Amplifies the provisions of Article 10 of the Convention, which prohibits surgical operations For the purpose of modifying the appearance of a pet animal or for other non curative purposes, In particular tail docking ear cropping. It agrees to:

	- Promote awareness among judges, breeders and veterinarians that mutilations should not be carried out.
	- Encourage breeding associations to amend breed standards in accordance with

the provisions of Article 10

Consider the possibility of phasing out the exhibition and sale of animals subjected to these operations.

2. Resolution on the breeding of pet animals.

Amplifies the version of Article 5 of the Convention, which refers to the selection of a pet animal for breeding, which takes account of the anatomical, physiological end behavioural characteristics likely to put at risk the health and welfare of either the offspring or the female parent it agrees to:

- Encourage the breeding associations to reconsider breed standards in order, if appropriate, to amend those which can cause welfare problems to select animals taking into account not only aesthetic criteria but behavioural characteristics and abilities to ensure, by information and education of breeders and judges that breed standards are interpreted in such a way as to counteract the development of extreme characteristics that can cause welfare problems to raise public awareness of problems related to physical and behavioural characteristics

- Consider, if these measures are not sufficient prohibiting the breeding and phasing out of exhibiting and selling certain types or breeds with harmful defects.

Each resolution is followed by a detailed explanatory annexe. In the case of docking, this enumerates 74 breeds in which natural tails should be favoured, and discounts the problems of tail damage completely. In the case of breeding, it refers to a range of physical attributes in a wide variety of breeds Examples follow, meet indicating that they were composed by persons displaying an almost total lack of canine knowledge,

Guidelines for the revision of breed Policies

	- Set maximum and minimum values for height or weight of very large or very small dogs, respectively, to avoid skeleton and joint disorders (e g. dysphasia of hip joints or elbows, fractures, luxation of elbow or patella, persistent fontanella) and collapse of tracheas
	- Set maximum values for the Proportion between length and height of short lagged dogs Basset hound, Dachshund to avoid disorders of the vertebral column.
	- Set limits to the shortness of skull, respectively no so that breathing difficulties and blockage of lachrymal ducts are avoided, as wall as disposition to birth difficulties lag, Persian cats, Bulldogs, Japan Chin, King Charles Spaniel, Pug, Peking Palace dog to prevent the occurrence of; a persistent hostess, Chihuahua, to avoid brain damages,
	- Abnormal positions of legs very steep line of hind legs in Chow Chow, Norwegian Buhund, Swedish Lapphund, Finnish Spitz bowed legs in Basset hound, Peking Palace dog, Shi Tzu to avoid difficulties in movement and Joint degeneration,
	- Abnormal positions of teeth -brachygnathia in Boxers, Bulldogs, Persian Cats to avoid difficulties in feeding and caring for the new born.
	- Abnormal size and form of eyes or eyelids -ectropium: Basset hound, Bloodhound. St Bernard.
	- Small deep lying eyes with disposition to entropium, Airedale Terrier, Australian Terrier, Bedlington Terrier, Bullterrier, Bloodhound, Chow Chow, English Toy Terrier, Jagdterrier, Newfoundland, Shar Pei.
	- Large protruding eyes-Boston Terrier, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Dandle Dinmont Terrier, Brussels Griffon, Japan Chin, King Charles Spaniel, Pug, Peking Palace Dog, Shi Tzu, Tibet Terrier to avoid irritation, inflammation and degeneration as well as prolapse of eyes
	- Very long ears (English Cocker Spaniels, Bassethound, Bloodhound) to avoid disposition to injuries.
	- Markedly folded skin-Bassethound, Bulldog, Bloodhound, and Pug. Peking Palace Dog Shar Pei to avoid eczema's and in the case of furrows around the eyes irritation and inflammation of eyes. To avoid or, if it is not possible to eliminate severe defects, discontinued breeding of: animals carrying semi‑lethal factors- Entlebucher Cattle dog.
	- Animal carrying recessive defect genes-homocygotic Scottish Fold Cat, short legs, vertebral column and tail defects.
	- Hairless dogs and cats (lack of protection against sun and chill, disposition to significant reduction of number of teeth, semi lethal factor)
	- Manx‑cat (movement disorder, disposition to vertebral column defects, difficulties in elimination of urine and faeces, semi‑lethal factor) cats carrying dominant white (significant disposition to deafness),
	- Dogs carrying Merle factor, significant disposition to deafness and eye disorders-Blue Merle Collie, Merle Sheltie, Merle Corgi, Merle Bobtail, Tigerdogge, Tigerteckel.

Council of Docked Breeds Helpline 07000 781262