Reports made to the RSPCA about the ‘cruel and unnecessary’ ear cropping procedure carried out on dogs have increased by over 2,000% within the last decade.
In 2023, 316 reports were made to the animal charity – a huge increase from 2015 when 14 reports were received, marking a rise of over 2,000%.
The RSPCA has released the shocking new figures as part of its No Animal Deserves Cruelty summer campaign, and hopes that this will raise awareness of ear cropping – a procedure which has become more popular over recent years due to popular culture and social media – and help support the work of its officers responding to these illegal incidents.
Ear cropping is a completely unnecessary process where the ear flap is altered or removed, sometimes using scissors and knives. In many cases it is done by irresponsible breeders who want to sell them at a higher price.
Shockingly, it is possible to buy a DIY ear cropping kit online for as little as £5 from international online retailers which ship to the UK. These websites also sell “ear straightening” kits which, while not specifically requiring a dog’s ears to be cropped, help to fuel the demand for dogs with the cropped look and have the potential for compromising their welfare.
And a quick search of video streaming services brings up videos on how to crop a dogs’ ears.
Emma Slawkinski, the RSPCA’s Director of Campaigns, said: “Dogs need their ears to communicate, yet it is too easy to find a dog for sale with cropped ears – which is absolutely heartbreaking. These dogs often have their ears cropped to make them look ‘tough’ and can make a fortune for their breeders, but the sad truth is that ear cropping is a traumatic procedure which can cause a huge amount of pain and suffering.
“It’s also a completely unnecessary practice as it doesn’t benefit the dog in any way and can actually be detrimental to their health, behaviour and welfare. We urge people to not buy into the trend – the only way to stop this is by not fueling the demand for a cropped eared dog.”
Ear cropping has been illegal in the UK for many years – but there remains a legal loophole where dogs with cropped ears can be imported into the country. There are also concerns this loophole acts as a smokescreen to hide ear cropping still taking place illegally here.
Emma said: “Dogs should never be mutilated for cosmetic purposes and, while this practice has been illegal in this country for a long, long time, we’d like to see more regulation to ensure that it’s no longer possible to get a cropped dog in England and Wales, unless rescuing through a reputable organisation.
“We have seen dogs who have suffered because of the after effects of this cruel procedure. They are at a high risk of infection and discomfort – what’s trendy or fashionable about that?”
Emma added that the RSPCA is concerned to be seeing an increased number of dogs with cropped ears in advertising. She said: “There’s a trend for owning cropped dogs among some celebrities, but we believe people in the public eye have a responsibility to set a good example to their fans. We fear the cropped look is being normalised and even glamorised, particularly among certain breeds.
“We’d urge celebrities to stop popularising this look and, instead, ask them to promote responsible dog ownership and champion good animal welfare.”
The RSPCA has concerns that ear cropping is carried out illegally, and underground, in this country. However, the majority of dogs with cropped ears are being sent abroad to have the procedure done or are being bought and imported deliberately from countries with less stringent animal welfare laws and regulations than here.
The previous UK Government had pledged to ban the import of dogs with cropped ears as part of its Kept Animals Bill – but that legislation was later dropped, before plans were revived via a new Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill. However, the law did not make it through Parliament before the recent UK General Election and was lost, prompting the RSPCA to urge decision-makers to find a viable alternative plan to ban it as soon as possible.
The RSPCA is urging people to write to their MP to ask for an urgent change in cracking down on imports of dogs with cropped ears.
Ear cropping fact file
- RSPCA Inspectors have found DIY ear cropping kits at homes of people who carry out the cruel practice, which include clamps, scissors and ear buds.
- The RSPCA has prosecuted people for cropping dogs’ ears or for arranging to have their dogs’ ears cropped.
- Dogs’ ears have a large number of blood vessels in them, leading to the potential for high blood loss and infection.
- Cropping is banned in more than 40 countries across the world.
- The procedure is often done on puppies without any vet intervention or anaesthetic, which can result in long-term pain.
- Cutting a dog’s ears can also harm their ability to communicate. Their social skills are impaired, impacting the dog’s behaviour.
