RSPCA calls for action over ‘glamorised’ ear crop fears

A leading charity has demanded fresh action to tackle canine ear cropping after new figures revealed incident levels have jumped by more than 2,000% within the past decade.

The RSPCA has also urged the public to contact their MPs on the issue, following the failure of two previous attempts to legislate in the area.

Data released by the charity on 15 August revealed it received 316 ear cropping reports last year, compared to 14 in 2015 – an increase of around 2,157%.

The act of ear cropping is already illegal in all four UK nations, with available sanctions including both prison sentences and lengthy ownership bans.

In one recent case highlighted by the charity, an owner whose 12-week-old puppy endured the procedure was barred from keeping animals for 20 years.

Import restrictions

But officials fear the current lack of import restrictions is enabling many dogs to be sent abroad to have their ears cropped and may also be effectively disguising ongoing unlawful activity here.

They also raised concerns about the availability of DIY cropping and “ear straightening” kits online, which they believe may be helping to fuel demand for the cropped look.

And they fear that the trend may have been “normalised and even glamorised” in some breeds, through the depiction of dogs with cropped ears in advertising and ownership of such dogs by some celebrities.

RSPCA campaigns director Emma Slawinski said public figures have a role to play in promoting good welfare and responsible dog ownership, and warned it was “too easy” to find dogs for sale that have had their ears cropped.

Don’t fuel demand

She said: “We urge people to not buy into the trend – the only way to stop this is by not fuelling the demand for a cropped-eared dog. 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?”

Measures to ban the importation of dogs whose ears have been cropped were part of the old Kept Animals Bill, which was dropped in June last year despite extensive lobbying by welfare and veterinary organisations.

Election halt

A subsequent attempt to re-introduce the legislation was then halted by the decision to call last month’s general election, while concerns about the new Government’s commitments were raised in some quarters after no welfare measures were included in the subsequent King’s Speech.

But Labour has claimed that its plans will provide the most significant advance in animal welfare “for a generation”.

Although ear cropping was not mentioned directly in its election manifesto, a ban on the sale of animals with cropped ears was promised during the campaign.

Fashion-based mutilations

Senior party figures also committed to outlawing the importation of dogs and cats with what were described as “fashion-based mutilations”.

In response to earlier calls for action on welfare issues, Defra officials said further details of the Government’s plans would be set out “in due course”.

But the RSPCA said nearly 15,000 people had supported calls for action on ear cropping last year and the change of government offers a “new chance” to crack down on the issue. A campaign page where members of the public can sign up to lobby their MPs has been set up.