I have to say, regardless of wether I think routine docking looks good, or is cruel, I am glad to see docking banned.

Sure, everyone on here is probably a very responsible dog owner. In an ideal world, you'd be able to choose wether or not you want to get your dog docked or not - its your animal, your preference. You'd get it done properly and professionally with minimal harm/pain done. Or, you'd keep your dog whole and as much 'as nature intended' as can be for a domestic animal.

Unfortunately, this world is so far from an ideal world its unfunny. In reality, there are swathes of irresponsible ****heads on this planet who do things like trying to home-dock tails using razorblades under unclean conditions with puppies bleeding to death, getting infections, being left with no control over their bowels and a lifetime of pain or discomfort. I personally know of a patterdale dog who's tail was home-docked by some plebhead, it now causes him some discomfort and he will not let anyone touch it.

It is unfortunate, but the few ruin it for the majority all over, its nothing new. Personally, I think its 'take one for the team' by not having the option of tail docking. Purely for the fact that no number of good-looking, well-docked dogs would EVER make up for the magnitude of suffering experienced by the few who are mutilated and tortured before being a week old by that proportion of the human population who really could do with being shot. True, there should have just been better legislation, greater penalties and better enforcement to prevent idiots from docking tails in retarded ways and punish those who have, but this is better than nothing in my opinion.