Environment spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, Mark Ruskell, has lashed out at SNP and Conservative MSPs for supporting the reintroduction of amputating puppies’ tails.
The Scottish Government lifted the ten-year ban on tail docking in working dogs at the Environment Committee on Tuesday June 13.
SNP and Tory MSPs voted in favour of the move, with Green MSP Mark Ruskell and two Labour MSPs opposing it.
Mark Ruskell said: “Vets and animal welfare charities warned that this would be a retrograde step for Scotland, and today SNP and Tory MSPs endorsed this cruel and unnecessary practice.
“The amputation of hundreds of puppies’ tails just to avoid one amputation in an adult dog is anti-science and nothing more than a sop to vested interests.
“I’ve previously pressed the Environment Secretary to admit that this policy has no veterinary support.
“At today’s Committee meeting, she confirmed that Scottish Government research on the policy did not look at the risk to dog’s tails from kennelling, nor did it look at the impact on dogs’ behaviour and communication.
“The vote in Committee is disappointing but the fight goes on ahead of a full vote in the Holyrood chamber.”
Ruskell is a former councillor for the Stirling Council area.
[…] makes two policies just this month the SNP and Tories have agreed on: APD and the docking of puppies’ tails. Not sure if those are related in any way, but an interesting side note, […]