Harvey the docked puppy

Despite the recent change in legislation in England which should mean an end to docked dogs, I recently had a docked puppy presented to me at work. He is a cocker spaniel named Harvey and he is very cute! His owner had purchased him in Dunstable from Mr Whelan, a licensed registered breeder with the Kennel Club.
Harvey's owner didn't want a docked dog and didn't realise Harvey had been docked. She was also under the impression that Harvey had been born in Dunstable. Unfortunately the legislation in Ireland allows docking and in fact Harvey had been born there and then transported all the way to England for sale.
SO- there was no way that we can know the environment Harvey was born into or what age he was removed from his mum. Was he born on a puppy farm?
I have spoken to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and they say that it is impossible to do anything if the puppy was docked in Ireland, as Mr Whelan says he was, because it is still legal there.
I have spoken to Mr Whelan and he says he thinks ALL working dogs should be docked. He doesn't care if they are in fact going to be pets and docks them anyway. He actually told me 'he doesn't care what happens to them after he has sold them and got his money'.
I asked him to consider that some people actually want to buy puppies with natural length tails and could he consider NOT docking! Hopefully he will think about this.
Mr Whelan says he has many breeding bitches but is not a puppy farm. Who knows the truth?
If YOU want to buy a puppy with a full length tail, please make it your business to ask questions about your future puppy and make sure he or she is NOT docked before you buy. YOU HOLD THE POWER TO CHANGE THE MINDS OF PEOPLE LIKE Mr WHELAN.
As Mr Whelan is registered with the Kennel Club I want to ask them their opinion of what is actually happening. I am waiting to speak with someone and will let you know the outcome.....

Please see my post 'Dogs with tails!' from May 2008 and my ebook 'Puppy Power- everything you need to know BEFORE you buy a puppy' for more information.

'Compassion for animals, passion for nature'