A former Georgia kennel owner has been sentenced to five years probation after cutting the tails off eight dogs without using anesthesia or pain medication. One of the dogs died.
Leslie Ayo, the then-operator of Heaven’s Gate Kennels, was hired by a Lawrenceville family in Nov. 2013 to dock the tails and remove the dewclaws — which are unnecessary extra claws — of their eight rottweilers for $150. The procedures are sometimes performed on certain breeds of dogs in order to enhance their functions, such as running through thick bushes without a long tail or claw being caught and causing injury, according to the American Kennel Club. But many dog owners also clip parts off their puppies for a more pleasing appearance.
The 38-year-old cut off the tails and dewclaws of the dogs with scissors, giving them no anesthesia or pain medicine, in the family’s kitchen when the animals were 10 days old, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported. The procedure is supposed to be performed when the dogs are three to five days old to prevent major pain and hemorrhaging. Additionally, docking dogs can only be performed by licensed veterinarians, and Ayo had no license.
The puppies began losing a servere amount of blood and one pup died. A police document reported that “the dogs were extremely bloody and it appeared that nothing had been placed on the open wound to protect from foreign objects and to stop bleeding.” The family then realized that Ayo cut the dogs “right at the base.”
Animal groups such as the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) deem the popular practice as unnecessary, especially since it puts puppies in danger of pain, hemorrhaging or death.
“The only benefit that appears to be derived from cosmetic tail docking of dogs is the owner’s impression of a pleasing appearance,” the AVMA website said, according to the Gwinnett Daily Post. “In the opinion of the AVMA, this is insufficient justification for performing a surgical procedure.”
Ayo was arrested on March 13, 2014 and was released a day later on a $11,700 bond. She pleaded guilty on Monday to five counts of animal cruelty and one count of practicing veterinary medicine with no license, according to the Gwinnett County Solicitor’s Office’s news release. She was ordered to pay a $3,500 fine, complete 240 hours of community service, forfeit all kennel licenses, and discontinue contact with animals.
