Ren, about 11 weeks old, was found with a string tied so tightly around her tail vets had to remove the tail. (Prince Albert SPCA)

By Susan McNeil

Animal abuse

Charges will be laid if SPCA finds who tied string around puppy’s tail

Apr 19, 2022 | 4:34 PM

A 10- or 11-week-old puppy who had her tail tied so tightly with a string that a vet had to remove the tail is recovering with the Prince Albert SPCA.

Shelter manager Ashlee Bober told paNOW that it looked as if her original owner had tried to dock the puppy’s tail in a home procedure that is very much illegal.

“It’s something that we would love to hold this person who has done this to her accountable and if we are able to track down that person, absolutely we would press charges,” said Bober.

The SPCA’s animal control officer was notified yesterday of a stray puppy in the city. When she went and picked up the puppy — now named Ren — she was having issues with her tail and it just dangled behind her.

The officer took Ren to the shelter where staff examined her and noticed the string, immediately taking her to a veterinarian for help.

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“We realized that the likelihood of what happened is that someone tied a string very tightly around her tail which actually has ingrown in her tail,” said Bober.

The skin grew back over the string so it was inside her muscle tissue around the bone.

“It’s very distressing to see that somebody would do this to such a small innocent puppy. It’s not something that anybody should do on any animal,” Bober said.

Ren’s case was quite severe and painful so she was taken to the vet, who removed her tail.

“This had to have been done likely when she was probably two or three weeks old, which at that age in her life, she very much can still feel pain,” Bober said.

Bully breeds (bull dog type breeds) are often the target of tail docking by owners thinking it makes the animal look tougher, she explained.

Doing any sort of home veterinarian procedure is not legal, including trying to home dock a tail. (Prince Albert SPCA)

Staff expect Ren to recover fully from her injury and have no doubt that there will be multiple adoption offers for her when she is ready to go, which will not be for several weeks yet.

“She’s definitely sore from her operation but, honestly, she is the happiest little puppy and she is in very good spirits this morning,” said Bober.

Ren will have her shots and be spayed before she is placed for adoption.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow