Tail of a dogs dinner decision

This appears on a blog.

Next week Parliament will get to vote on the Animal Welfare Bill. There is a free vote on whether to ban tail docking. To be honest, I haven't read around this subject yet (I will do on my train journey down to Westminster) but I'm up to be persuaded either way. On the one hand, I think I've voted to ban enough things and activities this year. On the other, chopping of a dogs tail does seem a brutal act. What are your views?

I’m sure I am not the only person who is somewhat surprised to see this admission as to how lightly one Labour politician takes his duties. Hasn’t read up on it, will do it on the train from Midlands to London – what’s that, all of two hours less other phaffing about to be done?
Tom is the Labour MP for West Bromwich East. He has a blog here. Most likely written for him – unless it is something else for his train journey. Quite a busy guy is our Tom. His own account of how his time is spent is also detailed on his blog.
Tom Watson lives in the Sandwell with his wife Siobhan. Following his election to Parliament in June 2001 with a 9,763 majority, Tom was appointed to the Home Affairs Select Committee. In 2003, Tom was made Parliamentary Private Secretary to The Paymaster General, Dawn Primarolo. He joined the government whips office at the end of 2004.
Tom sat on the Standing Committee for the Proceeds of Crime Bill, as well as the Standing Committee for the Communications Bill, the Human Tissue Bill, The Civil Partnerships Bill and the Gambling Bill.
He is vice-treasurer of the All Party Parliamentary Music Group.
He presented the Organ Donation (Presumed Consent and Safeguards) Bill to Parliament in March 2002.
Tom has recently taken part in the Police Parliamentary Scheme. The scheme entailed being attached to the West Midlands Police Force for three weeks.
The issue of tail docking has attracted considerable comment. I summarise it as one where the town dwellers have formed the opinion that a vet’s removal of the tail end on certain types of dog is cruel and unnatural. The country dwellers, in the main and as the people who know why the cropping is done, have tried to explain but, I suspect, to no avail. I have always owned sporting dogs whose tails are routinely cropped and have never noticed any stress from what is done when any bone is still unformed cartilage. I have seen whippets with torn (long) tails and that is not a pretty sight. Still, as in hunting, ill-informed might will win over the minority of those who know what the fuss is about. Doubtless, it will end up a farce just as the hunting saga. Some of the more extreme are likely to cause their dogs an injury such that removal has to be carried out on an adult dog. Wrong on the owners part but a crime that is unnecessary if common sense prevailed.
Not, I would suggest, a decision to be reached as lightly as dear Tom has decided to base his vote.