KENT NEWS:
A vet has appeared in court charged with the illegal docking of the tails of 13 rottweiler puppies and causing the animals unnecessary suffering.
David Smith, of Lower Farm, Finglesham, had earlier denied the charges before the hearing at Ashford court which started today (Thu, Jul 22).
The prosecution had been brought by the RSPCA and referred to an event that took place in March 2008.
Smith, 60, who works at Lakeview Vets in Folkestone, is accused of the offences after a litter of 13 puppies was brought to him.
They had been born to Millie, a rottweiler bitch owned by Tony Heldt, of Folkestone, who works for a security company.
However, when the dogs were born, Millie had been living with a member of Mr Heldt’s family in Hawkinge.
When the animals were taken to Smith, it is alleged that he “snipped off” their tails.
The RSPCA says such procedures should only be carried out on dogs that are being used in law enforcement, by the military or for the retrieval of shot game.
And even in these cases the breeds that can undergo the procedure should be limited to spaniels, terriers or hunt-point retrievers.
The prosecution claims that although the rottweilers belonged to a man involved in security work there was no evidence that they would have been used by his company.
The animal welfare charity also says the breed is not one that should be docked in any case.
Rex Bryan, for the prosecution, told the court that Smith cut off the dogs’ tails one by one and some of the animals cried out, while one bled.
He added that over the following week the tails became sore.
“The cut was through fat, muscular tissue, sinew, possibly tailbone and even blood vessels,” said Mr Bryan.
“The prosecution’s case is that this was unnecessary, caused pain and subsequent hyper-sensitivity to pain.
“We contend that they were not certified working dogs, used in law enforcement, the military, rescue work, the prison service or pest control or the lawful shooting of animals.”
The dogs had been taken to the vets by Tracey Ralph, a friend of the family that owned them.
She told the court she put them in two boxes in the back of her car to take them to the surgery.
Ms Ralph said: “He [David Smith] took one of the dogs out of the box and snipped its tail – no medicine was used and nothing was put on the tail.
“Some [of the puppies] were OK, a couple cried and one puppy’s tail bled.
“After he put them back in the box, I took them back to Millie, who was in my car. They were just days old and she was fretting.”
Ms Ralph said she gave Smith a business card from Mr Heldt and he gave her a document to hand to the owner of the dogs.
“I bathed the tails of the dogs for a couple for weeks after,” she said.
“They had become sore and scabby. After two to three weeks they were all healed.”
One by one the animals were sold to new owners, the court heard.
The case continues.
POSTED: 22/07/2010 14:33:35
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