The Veterinary Association is advising vets against docking dogs' tails for cosmetic reasons.
A newly released Animal Welfare Code says trained breeders can continue to use bands to remove the tails of puppies less than four days old, but after that, docking must be done by a vet.
The association's animal welfare coordinator, Virginia Williams, says the code doesn't go far enough and means New Zealand lags behind many other countries in terms of ethical animal treatment.
Britain, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Norway, Israel and Australia have banned the practice completely.
