We Have Been Betrayed

[oakway]

23 January 2013

Ms T Barry

Administrator

Australian National Kennel Council Ltd

PO Box309

Carina Q'Id 4152

Dear Tracey,

Re: Tail Docking

I, GRAHAM TREACEY, being a Director of ANKC Limited, hereby move a motion that any dog whelped

on or after I July 2014 is ineligible for exhibition at ANKC approved events ifthe tail of the dog has

been docked.

.

Rationale:

Nori-coin Iiance. The ban on tail docking of dogs has now been in place in all States for many years

and yet a significant number of docked dogs continue to be shown in all classes clearly

demonstrating non-compliance with the bans.

Some Member Bodies have procedures in place to preventthe registration and I or exhibition of

illegalIy docked dogs but without effective enforcement measures such procedures are essentially

ineffective.

Some veterinarians have been confronted with cases where the majority of puppies in a litter have

'broken tails' - in one case eight in a litter often. Because of circumstantial evidence that dogs were

being presented with del'berate Iy broken tails, one veterinary practice has invoked a policy of

splinting and treating bro en tails in lieu of amputation in an attempt to deter such a cruel act. There

are also repo s that some breeders are tying the PUPPY's tail back on itself I U shape l at birth and

then several days later removing the tie just before presenting the puppy to the veterinarian with a

'crank tail'. Whilst it appears that members can 'thumb their noses' at the law, then more and more

members will be tempted to follow theirlead.

Didtion I ing CIS D

The argument that Member Bodies are not responsible for enforcing civillaw will not endear us to

the public orthe politicians. Members are expected to comply with the ANKC Code of Ethics and

clause 2 of the Code states:

2. A member shall not engage in any behaviour that is contrary to the standards acce ted b the

community.

Any of the actions described above are in breach of that clause.

Breach of ANKC Re ulations

In ANKC Regulations Part 6 are the following regulations:

Registration of Litters (05/05)

Subject to 6.52, a litter must be registered In the State or Territory of residenc of the owner

irrespective of where the pups are born.

6.52 Where a prefix is jointly owned, registered and maintained in more that(siC) one State or

Territory, the litter must be registered in the Slate or Territory in which the pups are born.

Regulation 6.5.2 provided a loop hole for some time where the law of one State was not as exactin

as in other States and Territories. However, that loop hole has been closed and et litters continu

to be registered across borders, even where the prefix is notjointly owned Iwhich contravenes

65.11.

6.5

65.1

New Zealand.

Why does the ANKC condone the NZKC registering litters to an ANKC prefix where the ownershi of

the prefix has a convenient NZ resident co- owner ?

Again the Member Body is seen to be condoning a practice that has been declared ille aim Australia.

Does anyone check that the puppies are in fact being imported from NZ ? Anyone with ex erience in

importation will know that the Airway Bills and AQIS forms used are easily forged. Does the Member

Bodies have suitably qualified I experienced administration staff able to detect forgeries ?

The bans in Australia have been a financial gain for NZ breeders of docked dogs and this has

impacted upon sales of those breeds in Australia.

Level Ia in field

Most of the exhibitors offormerly docked breeds believed that the European ex erience would be

duplicated here in that in time judges would accept the fact and judge without re'udice. Clearl that

is riot the case as many judges still overlook tailed dogs for docked dogs. Unfortunately for the

confidence of exhibitors some judges have openly expressed 'that they still cannot accept' tails. At

one major show during 201.2 the judge's remark "that he could not see himself ever puttin u a

[breed] with a tail" was overheard by several exhibitors who [rightly!] considered that they had been

defrauded.

Most of the judges from the Americas, the Philippines and Japan demonstrate a distinct reference

for docked over undocked, and as a result entries are affected.

A level playing field does not exist, and will not untilthe Member Bodies recognise their

responsibility to ensure members abide by the law of the nation.

The UK took the step of nominating a date such as this motion does, and as a result the breeders I

exhibitors of the docked breeds accepted the fact and there has not been any of the an st and

conflict between exhibitors that is evident here.

The law abiding breeders and exhibitors are entitled to be supported by the ANKC. Currentl th

appear to be penalised while ever the ANKC continues to tolerate the exploitation of loop holes b

some members.

Signed: Date: 23 January 2013

[Blakbelgian]

This is from Chris Moores FB post.

ear Dogs Victoria Members attached is a post from my facebook site.

*****A COPY OF THE SIGNED LETTER IS ON MY FACE BOOK SITE****

PART 2 -WE HAVE BEEN BETRAYED

Attached is the motion put forward to the ANKC on 23rd January 2013 and signed by our Vice President Mr Graeme Tracey

"That any dog whelped on or after 1 July 2014 is ineligible for exhibition at ANKC approved events if the tail of the dog has been docked"

This has been submitted without consultation of clubs, breeders or members

I REQUEST THE MOTION BE WITHDRAWN IMMEDIATELY, AND THE SIGNATORY AND INSTIGATORS OF THIS MOTION CONSIDER THEIR ROLES IN DOGS VICTORIA MANAGEMENT

Please cross post to all forums and all clubs need to support this

[Airedaler]

Why am I not surprised. Guess who was President of DV during the tail docking issue and guess who made no attempt to support those fighting the ban?

How dare DV agree to putting this motion having no input from the general membership. The CoM are supposed to be working for and with us not playing God and doing whatever they please.

I see another membership drop in the near future.

Edited February 2, 2013 by Airedaler

[Sheridan]

Shouldn't the only dogs that are docked these days be imports?

[Dellcara]

Why am I not surprised. Guess who was President of DV during the tail docking issue and guess who made no attempt to support the ban?

How dare DV agree to putting this motion having no input from the general membership. The CoM are supposed to be working for and with us not playing God and doing whatever they please.

I see another membership drop in the near future.

from what I have read many of the CoM were not aware of this motion ... it is not required .. any Director of ANKC can submit a motion without the approval of their States CoM !!!!

[fuzzy82]

What's the problem with it? In European countries where tail docking is banned, you can't show a dog with a docked tail, even if it was imported and legally docked. If you're going to ban tail docking, banning the dogs from being shown makes sense too.

[Dame Aussie]

What's the problem with it? In European countries where tail docking is banned, you can't show a dog with a docked tail, even if it was imported and legally docked. If you're going to ban tail docking, banning the dogs from being shown makes sense too.

I don't see the problem either. Disgusting that some people would actually break the tail on purpose.

[WreckitWhippet]

And there will go the last of our great breeders of traditionaly docked breeds...

[Dogsfevr]

It doesn't just affect showing it affects any dog sports so if people move to this country with an import born after a set date they can not compete at all.

Many breeders import dogs for new lines & the hope of showing them.

No one will pay the cost of importing a pet to sit in the backyard so it means people will no longer import so no new lines as bringing in semem only is just as expensive & limits the breeding options.

NZ dogs have been sent to Australia as a breed swap for many years & whilst here shown & titled this also applies to other events .

We area country where obtaining new lines isn't as simple as Europe ,it costs a fortune to dod so & a small handful make that expensive sacrfirice to benefit others & the breed .

Whilst people may not agree it now opens the door if passed for other bans or issues to become the norm & i think people who don't own docked breeds have no appreciation that there breeds may not be as safe as they think & will soon cry for support if things go worng.

Many of the top dogs in this country have tails so no one has an issue with that but the issue is taking away the right of new dogs that enter this country in the future & what events can be done with them .

[espinay2]

What are the rules for dogs with cropped ears? Would the rules for docked dogs be different? I know breeders have imported cropped dogs in the past for breeding?

Edited February 2, 2013 by espinay2

[Dogsfevr]

What are the rules for dogs with cropped ears? Would the rules for docked dogs be different? I know breeders have imported cropped dogs in the past for breeding?

Cropped dogs haven't been able to be shown as long as i can remember so people (often Dobe ) breeders would still bring them in as they where adults .

They could be paraded in the Exhibition class which most Dobe clubs have .

Other breeds occasionally came in cropped to as older dogs & often in the era where it was easier to import ,a few Dobes have still come in now with Cropped ears but again its more a case of having unlimited stud options out there instead of a small handful of straws.

In our breed alot of cropped dogs came in in the 80/90s purely as stud dogs & again older retired dogs from the US ,some came out on 2 year spells for stud work & went back .

Many also imported from the US natural ears

The problem is the rule covers ALL ANKC events so if someone here moved from the US with an Obedience dog they can not compete.

They couldn't compete in field/retrieving or any other event .

Even in field.retrieving alot of breeders have imported dogs from varying countries for new working lines & in most cases to be able to work the dog .

We have 2 imports here with natural ears but the country can show cropped & natural tailed although theee are docked ..

If you go to a show you will see plenty of tailed breeds doing well & achieving at the highest level so the arguement about level playing fields is laughable & an insult to those people who do win with tailed dogs &those people also support tail docking but have follwed the rules .

It would also seem if the tail was injured & docking the tail was required that that is the end of that dog for any dog sport & i emphasis all dog sports .

This would be scary for field/retrieving people where the numbers are dropping like crazy & you could havea super worker that career is ended due to a tail injury

[RallyValley]

I agree showdog in the past 12 months I know of several Brittany's imported from NZ and Europe that are docked that have been brought in primarily for field trialling. I think of the ANKC wants less members this is the way to go...

[yarracully]

What's the problem with it? In European countries where tail docking is banned, you can't show a dog with a docked tail, even if it was imported and legally docked. If you're going to ban tail docking, banning the dogs from being shown makes sense too.

I don't see the problem either. Disgusting that some people would actually break the tail on purpose.

Some countries do still allow docking such as US, Canada and most of Asia. WHat this will mean is even a dog imported from these countries and legally docked there could not be used at an ANKC event here. That includes Confirmation, obedience and agility.

Seeing as Australia is geographically isolated this would mean no new genes can be added from the gene pool from these countries.

I haven't looked at the detail but if this is extended to not registering a docked import then this means you can't import the docked dog even for the bloodlines unless it remains unregistered. Although if going to all the cost of importing a dog surely you would want to show it as well otherwise there would be less interest in an offspring if the parent doesn't get in the ring to be seen.

[Sheridan]

Then counter with that dogs that are imported can still be shown. Locally bred dogs need to comply with local laws. I find it disturbing that people may be deliberately harming puppies just to get a docked tail and frankly if they are doing this, they should be banned from breeding and showing.

[Rebanne]

What's the problem with it? In European countries where tail docking is banned, you can't show a dog with a docked tail, even if it was imported and legally docked. If you're going to ban tail docking, banning the dogs from being shown makes sense too.

I don't see the problem either. Disgusting that some people would actually break the tail on purpose.

3rd hand info

[Dogsfevr]

Then counter with that dogs that are imported can still be shown. Locally bred dogs need to comply with local laws. I find it disturbing that people may be deliberately harming puppies just to get a docked tail and frankly if they are doing this, they should be banned from breeding and showing.

Us locals have no issues Traditionally docked dogs have had huge success in the rings .

Just look at the top # 20 for DOL the number of tailed dogs placed .

Its not about winning in the ring & no sane exhibitor would dream of such a motion in that way unless you suffer from severe sour grapes or has a personal agenda .

Local breeds dogs aslo have tails docked due to injury & legit issues that are well documented ,these locals who do the right thing by the dog will be punished so how is that fair??

[Sheridan]

The suggestion is that dogs are being deliberately harmed to get a docked tail. An entire litter of puppies with broken tails? Sounds dodgy to me. If there is such evidence then it should be presented.

[TessnSean]

Then counter with that dogs that are imported can still be shown. Locally bred dogs need to comply with local laws. I find it disturbing that people may be deliberately harming puppies just to get a docked tail and frankly if they are doing this, they should be banned from breeding and showing.

Us locals have no issues Traditionally docked dogs have had huge success in the rings .

Just look at the top # 20 for DOL the number of tailed dogs placed .

Its not about winning in the ring & no sane exhibitor would dream of such a motion in that way unless you suffer from severe sour grapes or has a personal agenda .

Local breeds dogs aslo have tails docked due to injury & legit issues that are well documented ,these locals who do the right thing by the dog will be punished so how is that fair??

This time, I agree with Showdog. I have some imports here and 3 of 4 have docked tails. Those 3 were docked before I selected them and the 4th had the tail left undocked at my request. What isn't in the proposal but is being very widely circulated speaking to people who knew about this before it was submitted is that the docked dogs will also be banned from breeding. Before you jump on me and say that there is nothing like that in the motion, consider that that are some incredibly serious allegations in the motion based on no more fact than the writer put them in a letter.

I am horrified that someone could hold a position of influence and standing and make allegations of both illegal and cruel acts and do nothing. If it happened, take action and throw the full weight of the law at the perpetrator . If it is a Chinese whisper, with no more proof than "I heard" , "I was told so I can't do anything" then it has absolutely no place in correspondence written on Dogs Victoria letterhead.

Same is true of the allegations of fraud and false pertaining to AQIS and waybills. That is a very serious allegation to make when I don't know of any charged or found guilty of such an offence. A Federal offence no less. What is the basis for that allegation? If it is based on fact, why haven't any of the office bearers taken action to have the guilty parties charged? If there is insufficient proof then it is hearsay and has no place in the motion.

Even the statement that docked dogs win more isn't supported by what is in front of us on Dogzonline and the OS judges I have watched recently, put up more tailed dogs than docked ones. My considerable investment in new bloodlines in to this country should not be derailed by a personal agenda that has nothing to do with me and my chosen breed

[cruzzi]

It is not an ANKC rule, it is the law.

The ANKC has to be seen to be law abiding.

I am pro tail docking.

[Rebanne]

The suggestion is that dogs are being deliberately harmed to get a docked tail. An entire litter of puppies with broken tails? Sounds dodgy to me. If there is such evidence then it should be presented.

yes and that breeder made an example of, but no need to punish the good ones.