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Mutilated for money

Dogs need their ears, but all it takes is a few clicks in the right places to find so many dogs being sold without them. 

Bred to look ‘tough’ and make a fortune for their breeders, dogs with cropped ears are a growing trend. Sadly, ear cropping is a traumatic procedure and can cause a huge amount of pain and suffering.

A dog with cropped ears standing outside looking up at the camera.

Thanks to you, the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill is on its way to becoming law in the UK.

Together, we’ve strengthened protections for vulnerable animals and helped disrupt the irresponsible commercial industry that profits from their distress.

With improved enforcement at the borders, this change closes the legal loophole that allowed dogs with cropped ears to be imported into the UK, despite our own laws prohibiting the act of ear cropping.

We hope this legislation change will curb the growing trend of animals being subjected to painful cosmetic procedures, help us to work closely with enforcement partners and reduce the strain on our frontline teams.

This new law will end suffering for hundreds of thousands of pets, both here in the UK and around the world for generations to come. It stops the flow of animals coming into the UK who have been subjected to cruel procedures, and leaves no hiding place for the criminals carrying out these horrific procedures here.”

Harriet Main, Public Affairs Manager at the RSPCA

Don't buy into the trend

Ear cropping is a completely unnecessary process where the ear flap is shaped 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.

While those who practise ear cropping claim it helps protect dogs against injury and infections, it is in fact untrue. 

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.

Cropping a dog’s ears is already illegal under the Animal Welfare Act, but that hasn’t stopped unscrupulous breeders from doing it.

A 621% rise in ear cropping reports over 6 years and 391 reports in 2022 alone

Criminals are mutilating dogs, and cashing in

Sadly, breeding dogs and cropping their ears is profitable and a litter of puppies with cropped ears is a quick way to cash in. Litters can be worth tens of thousands of pounds, and people are making a huge business out of the pain of helpless dogs.

An American bulldog with cropped ears with his foster owner.

We’re all ears for change

We’re working in collaboration with Hope Rescue in Wales to help spread awareness about the cruelty of ear cropping. Hope Rescue has helped dozens of dogs and puppies who have had their ears brutally cut off. 

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Worried about the welfare of a dog or any other animal? Use our online tool to report it quickly and get them the help they need.

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