Alberta Veterinarians have voted to ban medically unnecessary surgical procedures and to require veterinarians and their staff to report neglect and animal abuse.

On Sunday, February 24 the decision was made, members of the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association (ABVMA) voted in favour of two resolutions that they say will have a very significant impact on animal welfare in the province.

There were nearly 300 members on hand to participate in this vote and it passed at 98 per cent.

The ban that was voted on will include the following procedures in the ban:
ear cropping
tail docking (removing portions of an animal’s tail)
tail nicking (cutting and resetting a tail ligament to heal in a raised position)
tail blocking (numbing or nicking tendons to paralyze the tail)
partial digit amputation (also called declawing or onychectomy, in which all or part of the distal phalanges, or end bones, of the animal’s toes are cut off)
tendonectomy (removing tendons from a cat’s toes to prevent it from extending the claws, done as an alternative to onychectomy)
front dewclaw removal
cosmetic dentistry
body piercing
tattooing that is not for the purpose of registration and identification
devocalization (removing tissue from the animal’s vocal cords to permanently reduce the volume of its vocalizations)

 

Dr. Jodi Viste owner and Veterinarian at Animal Health Care Centre said, " Our profession is moving toward working with breeders to change the breed standards and select the characteristics that ensure health and safety for animals without having to make surgical alterations to them."

Viste added, "This will require time and a change in the way that we think about breeds.  We support breeders and the work that they do toward carrying on great breeds of dogs and cats and we look forward to what the future brings through working together to pave a new path." 

Dr. Darrell Dalton,  with the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association, said there’s no scientific justification for cosmetic surgeries.

“They’re medically unnecessary, they cause unnecessary pain to the animal, and it’s inhumane,” Dalton said.

According to the ABVMA, Alberta will be joining other provinces that have banned medically unnecessary surgical procedures. Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Ontario and British Columbia have this in place and New Brunswick is looking to possibly do the same in the future.

“Veterinarians are subject to discipline if they perform these procedures in these provinces,” Dalton said.

The second resolution that was addressed involved animal welfare, this obligates veterinarians and their staff to report cases of animal abuse, neglect as well to take action to address animals in distress.

This would cover malicious or inappropriate infliction of physical injury, poisoning, mental abuse, sexual abuse, drowning, asphyxia, and evidence of organized dogfighting.

The ABVMA's definition of neglect as the failure to provide animals with adequate basic necessities supporting health and well being for extended periods leading to suffering, serious injury or death.

Dalton said the new rules will work in conjunction with the current legislation but will be able to go further by providing specific definitions of animal abuse and neglect.

Regarding a timeline for when these resolutions will go into effect, the ABVMA said the new rules will be sent to the province, at which time the government would need to change the legislation to reflect the changes.

The ABVMA council is working toward having the new policy in place and effective this spring, at that time Dalton advises that any veterinarian performing any of the listed banned procedures would be liable for disciplinary action.