Statement on Animal Mutilation for Cosmetic Purposes

The Raw Feeding Veterinary Society Ltd (RFVS) makes the following statement to firmly assert our intention to promote welfare and health in our pet communities.

RFVS is first and foremost an organisation interested in nutrition and education.  As such, it receives support from and gives support to companies promoting biologically appropriate raw food diets. The welfare of the pets we treat as practising professionals is the priority for us and is shared in our work as a Society.

Although we are now a global organisation and endeavour to be as inclusive as possible, our origins are in the UK.  Our policies and ethos are based on United Kingdom and European legislation and ethical stand points.

We therefore wholeheartedly support the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and British Veterinary Association standpoints on animal mutilation for cosmetic appearance.

Images used by companies in marketing are personal to owners’ relationships with their pets and the company using the image. Where there are mutilations, these have often preceded the beginning of that relationship.  None the less, as a veterinary organisation we must state that we do not see the use of images of ears cropped or tails docked for cosmetic purposes as acceptable.

On this basis, whilst we support the promotion of the benefits of raw food, the use of such images on companies’ websites, social media or other promotional advertisements is something we strongly advise against. Their use gives an inappropriate image of acceptability no matter what the back story of the pet portrayed.

We would also like to make clear that our view of the marketing material of any company in no way detracts from the quality of the food produced by that company.

Please e mail enquiries@rfvs.info or message 07415 974264 with any questions.