A Christchurch man has been ordered to pay $700 after illegally docking the tails of two boxer puppies.
Geoffrey Clark was prosecuted by the SPCA after taking two 10-week-old puppies, a male and a female, to the vet for their vaccinations.
He admitted removing their tails himself when they were less than a week old by placing a plastic tube with a rubber ring over them.
Non-necessary tail docking was completely banned in New Zealand in 2018.
SPCA chief executive Andrea Midgen says the puppies suffered because of the home surgery.
"Tail docking is illegal and people who persist using this outdated practice will be investigated with a view to prosecution," she said in a statement today.
"Tail docking is only able to be legally performed by a veterinarian or vet student under supervision, and only for therapeutic purposes, not for breed specific or cosmetic purposes."
The female puppy had already been sold to a new owner by the time SPCA inspectors visited the property.
Clark was fined $400 at the Christchurch District Court yesterday.
He was also ordered to pay $150 legal costs to the SPCA and $150 court costs.
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