Thank you to our members who were able to take part in last month’s member engagement session regarding an Ontario government consultation on cropping, docking, dewclaw removal, and devocalization/debarking. As part of the amendments to the recently passed Bill 159, Preventing Unethical Puppy Sales Act (PUPS Act), 2023, the Ontario government held preliminary stakeholder consultations earlier this spring on proposed regulations related to tail docking, ear cropping, dewclaw removal, and debarking under the Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act, 2019 (PAWS Act). Public consultations are expected to take place in fall 2024 and we are looking for your input, which will help shape our approach with government on behalf of our members.
The following are examples of member feedback shared at CKC’s member engagement session last month:
- Leave the decision to licensed veterinarians who have the skills and knowledge to continue to carry out these practices and procedures.
- Provide reputable research or examples to support cropping, docking and dewclaw removal. (E.g., UK exemptions for tail docking)
- Focus on the benefits of these procedures to support canine health, safety, and hygiene. (E.g., Torn dewclaws in adult dogs, leads to major surgery, pain, and suffering of our dogs)
- Promote responsible breeders and CKC member breeder expertise such as CKC Breeders have breed-specific knowledge and they health test their dogs.
- We need to engage governments and vet colleges/associations to foster a stronger relationship between veterinarians (existing and future) and CKC member breeders. We want to encourage veterinarians to receive training in canine reproduction and collaborate on common goals, responsible dog ownership, responsible breeders and the health and well-being of dogs.
We feel it is important that we hear from all members. If you were unable to attend the June member engagement session or have additional input you would like to provide, we invite you to take the following survey to have your say on this important subject. The survey will close August 23, 2024. Once we receive all responses, we will summarize the findings and share them with our members. We will then use your feedback to shape our input and advocacy work this fall.
All responses are anonymous and will not be connected to any individual person. All input will be analyzed for themes and commonalities that can inform CKC advocacy with government regarding this issue. Participation in this survey is voluntary and you may choose to exit the survey at any time during its completion.
We appreciate your input and look forward to representing our members’ interests in the coming months.
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