Two cosmetic procedures on dogs, docking tails and cropping ears, are regulated by the Animal Welfare Act 2006 in England and Wales. Anyone buying a puppy, taking in an imported dog or seeing a docked or cropped dog at a show may want to understand what the law says. This article summarises the Act, the England-only regulations that create a narrow working-dog exemption, the RSPCA’s welfare position and the 2025 Act on imports. It is general information, not legal advice, and it does not cover Scotland or Northern Ireland.
Tail docking: section 6 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (England and Wales)
Section 6 makes it an offence to remove the whole or any part of a dog’s tail otherwise than for the purpose of its medical treatment, or to cause another person to do so. An owner or person responsible for the dog also commits an offence if someone else docks the tail and the owner permitted it or failed to take reasonable steps to prevent it. Section 6 also creates an offence of knowingly giving false information to a veterinary surgeon in connection with a certificate.
The Kennel Club notes that, while there are exemptions for listed working breeds and crossbreeds, docking is illegal in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and that a dog with a docked tail cannot be shown at events in England and Wales where the public pay admission unless it is demonstrating working ability. Section 6 itself contains the show offence.
The working-dog exemption
Section 6 exempts a certified working dog that is not more than five days old. A veterinary surgeon must certify, under regulations, that two conditions are met. First, evidence has been produced that the dog is likely to be used for work in connection with law enforcement, armed forces activities, emergency rescue, lawful pest control or the lawful shooting of animals. Second, the dog is of a type specified in regulations.
For England, the Docking of Working Dogs’ Tails (England) Regulations 2007 apply in England only. Their Schedule 1 lists the specified types as hunt, point and retrieve breeds, spaniels and terriers, of any type or combination of types. Under regulation 3, the vet must be satisfied that the dam is of one or more of those types, must reasonably believe the puppy is not more than five days old, and must be shown the dam, a signed and dated owner statement and specified evidence of the intended work. That evidence can be identification from an armed force, emergency rescue body, police, prison service or HMRC, evidence of lawful pest control, a current shotgun or firearm certificate, or a letter from a gamekeeper, land-occupier, shoot organiser or similar person. Under regulation 4, a docked dog must be microchipped by a vet, or a vet nurse under supervision, using a chip meeting the stated ISO standards, and section 6 requires that identification to be done before the dog is three months old.
Ear cropping: section 5 (England and Wales)
Section 5 of the Act covers mutilation, meaning a procedure that involves interference with the sensitive tissues or bone structure of a protected animal other than for medical treatment. Section 5(6) provides that the section does not apply to removing part of a dog’s tail, which section 6 covers separately. The RSPCA states that ear cropping is illegal in England and Wales under section 5. It describes the procedure as an entirely unnecessary surgery in which a dog’s ears are removed or altered, says it has no benefits for the dog and can cause permanent damage, and says the claims that it prevents ear infections or injuries are untrue.
Dogs brought in from abroad
Both the RSPCA and the Kennel Club say that cropped ears remain legal in some other countries and that dogs with cropped ears have been imported. The Kennel Club states that the law permits importing such dogs, and the RSPCA’s ear-cropping page says the same.
The Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Act 2025 addresses this. Section 1 lets the appropriate national authority make regulations about bringing dogs, cats and ferrets into the United Kingdom, and requires the first regulations for each of England, Scotland and Wales to prohibit bringing in dogs and cats that have been mutilated, as well as animals under six months old and those more than 42 days pregnant. The Act defines mutilated as having undergone a procedure that interferes with sensitive tissues or bone structure other than for medical treatment. Under section 8, sections 1 to 7 come into force on a day the Secretary of State appoints by regulations, and legislation.gov.uk records that section 1 was not in force at Royal Assent. The prohibition therefore depends on those regulations being made and commenced.
What buyers and owners can take from this
- A docked puppy in England is lawful only if it was certified as a working dog at five days or less, and it must be microchipped as a docked dog.
- Docking or cropping carried out by someone else with the owner’s permission can also be an offence for the owner.
Frequently asked questions
Can a vet dock a pet dog’s tail in England?
Not for cosmetic reasons. Section 6 allows removal for medical treatment, and otherwise only the certified working-dog exemption for puppies not more than five days old.
Where can suspected cropping be reported?
The Kennel Club suggests contacting the relevant Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals: the RSPCA for England and Wales, the SSPCA for Scotland and the USPCA for Northern Ireland.
The bottom line
In England and Wales, cosmetic tail docking and ear cropping are offences under sections 5 and 6 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, and the only tail-docking exemption described here is the vet-certified working-dog route for puppies of five days or less, which the 2007 regulations set out for England. Imports of dogs with cropped ears were described by the RSPCA and Kennel Club as still permitted, and the 2025 Act provides powers to change that once regulations take effect.
Sources
- legislation.gov.uk, “Animal Welfare Act 2006, section 6: Docking of dogs’ tails”
- legislation.gov.uk, “Animal Welfare Act 2006, section 5: Mutilation”
- legislation.gov.uk, “The Docking of Working Dogs’ Tails (England) Regulations 2007”
- RSPCA, “Dog ear cropping”
- The Kennel Club, “Docking and cropping”
- legislation.gov.uk, “Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Act 2025, section 1”
- legislation.gov.uk, “Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Act 2025, section 8: Extent, commencement and short title”