Crufts banning docking?

[HeartSong]

I've just heard this news from another forum and wanted to know what everyone here thought of it. Here's the quote:
Crufts Britains number one dog show is about to announce that no dog born from now on will be allowed to be shown at crufts if it has a docked tail or any other such mutilation.

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[VeganSoprano]

No mutilation allowed? Sounds great to me!

 

[HeartSong]

This is actually getting a lot of debate on another forum. Some saying that it is cruel to dogs that will be shown and used for hunting because they can break their tails when hunting in thick brush. The other side saying that there is a low chance of a dog getting their tail broken. Also whether or not docking is a painful procedure and how well the nerve system is developed.

 

[raptor5]

Will that mean dogs such as the Parsons Terrier will have their standards re-evaluated. If used for hunting, the long tail is more dangerous when going underground. This is great for some, but what about when the dog is shown here in the US.

Edited: My bad the JRT or Parson Russell Terrier will conform to breed standards with its tail docked the appropiate length or left alone as per the AKC website. Sorry for my ignorance.

 

[Truth74]

Pointers don't have docked tails right now, and they go through thick brush all of the time.
Setters have long tails, too.
I don't see any problem with banning it all together.

 

[raptor5]

I would think Terriers would have a hard time going to the ground after its prey with a long tail. Sure it could get in the hole but may just be a little harder to get out. I realize that not everyone hunts their dog, so it probably is not necessary.

By the way why is this practice cruel?

 

[HeartSong]

Cruel? . . . Probably not.

Pointless? . . . Sometimes, I don't see the point in cutting off a part of an animal's body just because someone likes the way it looks better that way. And there are many cases in which this is the ONLY reason why the tail is docked. But then I also don't get the whole idea of piercings and tatoos on people in attempts of fashion and expressing oneself so maybe I'm just not all that aware of how much beauty is actually worth. At least they decide to go through with it by their own choice except for parents who pierce the ears of their toddler . . . it still baffles me why someone would do that either.