Someone tried to dock a puppy鈥檚 tail with a zap strap and that person could face animal cruelty charges.

The BC SPCA is seeking the public鈥檚 help in finding the person responsible. The puppy was found on the side of the road at 264th Street and 64th Avenue.

The three-month-old Doberman pinscher puppy, named Lola by the SPCA, was found on July 2 by two Good Samaritans visiting from Alberta, who noticed her lying at the side of the road near some mailboxes and rushed her to the Abbotsford SPCA.

鈥淭he puppy was thin and her tail area was grossly swollen and infected 鈥� oozing puss and blood. She was clearly in a great deal of pain,鈥� said Marcie Moriarty, chief prevention and enforcement officer for the BC SPCA. 鈥淗er tail had been wrapped tightly with a plastic zip tie, in an apparent effort to do a home amputation for cosmetic purposes. This was a barbaric act that caused needless suffering to an innocent puppy.鈥�

Lola is receiving veterinary treatment and is currently in the care of an SPCA foster home.

Moriarty said the SPCA is worried that there may be more puppies in the litter who are being subjected to the same cruelty and the SPCA is investigating.

鈥淚f anyone knows who this puppy belongs to, we urge them to contact our BC SPCA Provincial Call Centre at 1-855-622-7722,鈥� she said.

The College of Veterinarians of British Columbia (CVBC) recently voted to ban cosmetic tail docking.

The province-wide ban, which follows a vote last year by the CVBC to ban cosmetic ear cropping procedures on dogs, is welcomed and supported by the BC SPCA.

The college to ban cosmetic tail docking of dogs, horses and cattle, and tail alteration in horses.

鈥淲e feel this is a big step forward in the humane treatment of animals in our province, and evidence that veterinarians in B.C. are very interested in animal welfare first and foremost,鈥� said BC SPCA senior manager of animal health Dr. Emilia Gordon.

鈥淭here鈥檚 widespread recognition that this is a cosmetic, unnecessary procedure that does not have any benefit whatsoever to the dog, and the BC SPCA is extremely pleased to support and endorse this change.鈥�

The move follows another vote by the CVBC last year to ban cosmetic ear cropping procedures on dogs.

Gordon notes that research and anecdotal evidence from the veterinary community suggest that there can be many behavioural and physiological complications associated with cosmetic and non-therapeutic alterations.

Any individual performing these now-banned procedures and causing distress to an animal could now face animal cruelty charges under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.