Dog Ear Cropping: Why It’s Illegal

 

Estimated Read Time: 4 minutes

Summary: In this blog, we learn all about dog ear cropping (sometimes called ear docking). Learn about ear cropping, why it’s a popular practice for some dog owners and also why it’s controversial…

   

Ear Cropping

Ear cropping (or docking) is an unnecessary procedure where a dog’s outer ears are cut, altered or removed. This is a purely aesthetic surgery that is conducted by owners who simply prefer the way cropped ears look. It’s more commonly seen in breeds like Dobermans, Pitbulls, Great Danes, Rottweilers, Boxers, Cane Corsos and American Bulldogs.

Does Ear Cropping Hurt Dogs?

Quite frankly, yes. It’s very painful for a dog to have their ears cropped. In some countries, like here in the UK, the procedure is illegal because of the pain and distress it can inflict on a dog. The practice of docking also requires a dog to go through an uncomfortable recovery as well as an unpleasant experience during the procedure itself. 

Like any surgery, having a dog’s ears unnecessarily cropped can lead to infections and loss of blood too. Signs of infection include discharge from the ear’s wound, redness, swelling or heat. If you have a dog with recently cropped ears and spot any of these signs, they need to see a  licensed veterinarian with haste.

Why Do People Crop Dogs Ears?

Some owners like the fiercer look ear cropping can give a dog; they think it looks more “cool”. Cropping a dog’s ears is a very selfish process and not in the best interest of any pup. 

Some vets may require to interfere with a dog’s outer ear (called a “pinnectomy”) because of injury, trauma or to remove a suspicious or threatening growth. But, this is always conducted professionally and properly, under anaesthetic and managed with appropriate pain relief.

Why You Shouldn’t Crop Your Dog’s Ears

Your pup uses their ears to express emotions and to communicate effectively. Ear cropping hinders their ability to do this enormously. Other dogs may also miss cues your dog is trying to convey to them via their ears and misunderstand your dog’s feelings which can lead to problem behaviour and unnecessary stress in your dog’s life. 

The outer ears are designed to capture sound and funnel it clearly down the ear canal. This could also become affected if a dog’s ears are cosmetically docked. 

Additionally, ear cropping usually takes place when a dog is very young – usually between 6-12 weeks old. This is when a dog’s brain is still in a significant stage of development and this traumatic experience can affect them emotionally for the rest of their life. It can make a dog incredibly wary of people, lower their confidence and hinder their ability to trust. 

Some breeders may claim cropping a dog’s ears is beneficial to them, but this isn’t true. Ear cropping does not prevent ear infections or improve their hearing. 

Dog ear cropping is entirely done to satisfy an owner’s taste and any loving pet parent would choose not to do this to their dog. That said, it’s important to not assume an owner has done this to their dog if you see a dog out and about with cropped ears – they may have been rescued from a shelter after the docking took place or imported from another country where the act is legal and not been a choice of the apparent owner.

Is Ear Cropping Legal?

In the entirety of the United Kingdom, it is illegal to crop a dog’s ears. However, it remains legal to import and sell dogs with cropped ears, and it's not a specific offence to send dogs abroad to be cropped. Despite it being illegal to crop a dog’s ears here, vets and animal welfare organisations like the Blue Cross and RSPCA are seeing a rise in ear cropping across the country which suggests pets are being imported with already cropped ears, sent abroad to be cropped or they’re being cropped at home, unsafely. Vets do their best to report cases of cropping when they spot it, but this only tends to happen if a dog contracts an infection. Because it’s not illegal to possess a dog with cropped ears, a lot of cases are missed. 

You can report cases of suspected ear docking to your Local Authority Animal Health Function in England and Wales, the SSPCA in Scotland and your local council Animal Welfare Officer in Northern Ireland. 

Here at PetLab Co., we don’t believe in unnecessary pain being inflicted on dogs and this extends to the practice of ear cropping. There are many petitions you can find online to sign and share on your social media pages to help get legislation in the UK put through to ban the importation of dogs with cropped ears, possessing a dog with docked ears, and prohibit dogs from being sent away from the country to have their ears cropped.

Sources

“Ear Cropping In Dogs” Blue Cross, Aug. 12 2021 https://www.bluecross.org.uk/pet-advice/ear-cropping-in-dogs

“What’s The Issue With Ear Cropping?” British Veterinary Association Sep. 2019 https://www.bva.co.uk/take-action/ear-cropping-campaign/