FOR the owners of certain breeds of working dog, there could be a sting in the tail of the Animal Welfare Bill currently lurching its way through Parliament.

The proposed legislation reaches its report stage on Wednesday, March 8, when rumour has it an amendment will be put forward to ban the docking of dogs' tails.

This will be all-encompassing and include such familiar stub-end breeds as rottweilers, boxers, dobermans and Weimaranas. It will also cover a large section of the gun dog fraternity like pointers and spaniels - and this is where shooters who use them say the law, if passed, will get it wrong.

What is intended as a measure to protect dogs from pain could have the opposite effect.

"This Bill is meant to be about improving animal welfare," said Clare Rowson, Midland regional director for the pro-shooting Countryside Alliance, "but any such amendment would worsen it.

"At present, docking can only be carried out by registered veterinary surgeons where, in their professional opinion, it is in the interest of the dog's welfare, bearing in mind its probable future role in adult life.

"There is a very strong welfare argument for docking some working breeds to prevent injury in later life," she said.

"Dogs that habitually work in dense cover, retrieving, flushing or

pointing are in considerable danger of damaging their tails and the resulting injuries can be very painful for the animal as well as expensive for the owner.

"As it is, only certain working dogs are docked, usually those with thin tails that wag very quickly and have little hair to protect them. While dogs with thicker tails, such as the large retriever breeds and Labradors, who use their tails to help them swim, are not."

The move to bring in a complete ban on tail docking is being led by the RSPCA and the animal rights movement.

However, on its website, the RSPCA refines this aim by referring to "a ban on tail docking of dogs for cosmetic purposes", which would appear to leave open the argument for "working purposes".

As the society says: "Currently it is legal for a veterinary surgeon to dock a dog's tail without anaesthetic before the dog's eyes are open, but it is illegal for anyone else to dock a dog's tail."

In other words, it is done at a very young age by a professional. Any other way is illegal already. Cruel, amateur hacking at dogs' tails is covered by plenty of current leglation.

But then you get the sentimental side thrown in thanks to people like the wonderfully named Emily Thornbury, who sounds like a modern day Miss Marple, but is actually the Labour MP for Islington.

During a debate on the Animal Welfare Bill, Ms Thornbury came up with the prepared punchline: "To take away a dog's tail is like taking away its smile."

As if short-tailed terriers or exuberant boxers cannot express their love and affection.

The British Veterinary Association and the British Small Animal Veterinary Association have also lined up against tail docking for cosmetic purposes.

"I think is mainly the pain factor," said Worcester vet Jock Queen, of the Severn Veterinary Practice.

"It is a painful and traumatic experience for a puppy."

But then `puppy' refers to a mite that still has its eyes shut, not a bouncy, fluffy six-week-old bundle of fun. In human terms, it would be an exceptional person who remembered and remained traumatised by an operation carried out in the first seven days of life.

One final word from David Cole, a former top detective and long-time Worcestershire gundog breeder.

"I have handled gundogs for the best part of 60 years and know from experience the pain caused by damaged tails in working breeds," he said. "Amputations are often necessary, followed by pain and trauma associated with the healing process. Anyone who has tried to prevent a Labrador thrashing a stitched stump, no matter how well protected, against a kennel wall at feeding time will know what I mean.

"This happened to one of my bitches, who emerged from bramble cover with a pheasant and the top three inches of her tail distorted at right angles to the stump.

"Docking is, therefore, not carried out, as many of its detractors think, for purely cosmetic purposes and those responsible for yet another piece of emotionally stimulated legislation should think again before imposing a blanket ban."

And one final, final thought. Have you ever seen a British bulldog with a long tail?

No wolf whistles, please.