A Waitakere man has been convicted of the wilful ill-treatment of animals after he tried to dock the tails of 10 Rottweiler puppies with a fishing line.
Mohammed Fiaz Khan was sentenced to five months community detention, plus 18 months intensive supervision, and was banned from owning dogs for 10 years.
The puppies were three weeks old at the time.
The SPCA said that around the base of each puppy's tail a loop of fishing line had been tightly tied, partially severing each tail. It was tied close to the base of each tail, but not tightly enough to completely cut off blood circulation. After consultation with veterinarians it was decided it would be inhumane to attempt to save the puppies.
One of the dogs docked with a fishing line, which later had to be put down. Photo: SPCA
The SPCA's Auckland executive director said the incident demonstrated the need to ban docking of tails in New Zealand.
"If ever a case was designed to underscore why we need to completely ban tail docking in New Zealand, this is it," said Bob Kerridge in a media statement.
"Tail docking is mutilation. There is no reason for it beyond some arbitrary and outmoded traditions. At best it's unnecessary and purely cosmetic - at worst it's painful and dangerous."
"This case exemplifies why SPCA Auckland has lobbied for so many years to have this barbaric practice banned in New Zealand, as indeed it has been in 33 other countries, including the UK and Australia" he said.