A Deal vet has escaped disqualification after being found guilty of illegally docking the tails of 13 puppies.

David Smith, who owns Lake View Veterinary Surgery, in Union Road, was also found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering when he snipped the tails of the three-day-old rottweiler pups at his Hawkinge surgery on March 27, 2008.

Smith, of Lower Farm, Finglesham, denied the charges which were brought by the RSPCA.

After the verdict his lawyer, Ann-Marie Gregory, said: "This has major implications for vets around the country.

The law on tail docking changed under the 2006 Animal Welfare Act which came into effect in April 2007.

Rottweilers are now not allowed to be docked unless for medical reasons.

Smith was slammed for not carrying out thorough enough investigations into whether it was permitted for that breed.

He was fined £2,000 for illegally docking the dogs' tails and £1,300 for causing unnecessary suffering.

For the full story, see this week's East Kent Mercury.