New figures from the RSPCA have actually revealed that 93 dogs in the area were reported to have had their ears cropped in the vicious treatment within the last 3 years.
The charity says the unlawful act is frequently performed with the objective of making the dog appearance “tough”, however it doesn’t benefit the animal in any method and can in fact be harmful to their health.
The figures reveal that, nationally, 1,191 reports of ear cropping have actually been made to the RSPCA because 2020.
The West Midlands has actually ranked as the primary ear cropping hotspot in England, with Greater London and West Yorkshire ranking joint 2nd – each location saw 75 reports in the last 3 years.
Dr Samantha Gaines, dog well-being specialist at the RSPCA, said: “Ear cropping is a painful and unnecessary practice in which a dogs’ ears are removed or surgically altered and sadly many owners who do this do it because they think the look is glamorous or it makes their pet look tough.
“But it can be detrimental, in the short and long term, to their health, behaviour and welfare – they do not benefit from having it done, and the way it is illegally carried out in the UK – by people who are not vet professionals – is highly likely to lead them to suffer.”
Despite it being unlawful in the UK, there are social networks accounts which promote the practice.
Samantha included: “We don’t want this cruel procedure, which is essentially dogs being mutilated for money, to be normalised.
“We are concerned that it is a growing fashion trend and it needs to be stopped.”
A dog owner from Walsall Wood who permitted his 6 bulldog puppies to be mutilated by having their ears cropped was prohibited from keeping animals in 2021.
Chevez Davies, of Grange Avenue, was condemned of 4 animal well-being offenses following a trial at Birmingham Magistrates Court and was sentenced to 4 months in jail suspended for 2 years, in addition to being disqualified from keeping animals for 2 years.
He was likewise purchased to pay £1,000 in expenses and a £128 victim additional charge.
In another case in 2021, Warren Wesley Jackman was imprisoned for 4 weeks at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court, and prohibited from keeping dogs for ten years, after setting up to have 2 puppies’ ears cropped.
Jackman, of Redditch Road, Birmingham, was captured after images of a number of puppies with cropped ears were submitted onto an Instagram page.
RSPCA and West Midlands Police officers robbed a house linked to the account and discovered 4 dogs with their ears cropped.
Ian Muttitt, primary inspector in the RSPCA’s unique operations system – which examines ear cropping – said the group have actually seen “horrific” do it yourself ear cropping packages in the houses of individuals who perform the vicious practice.
He said: “The concept of an individual cutting off a dog’s ears with a set of scissors and no discomfort relief or anaesthetic is stomach-churning – however that is precisely what they do.
“And it is much more sickening to understand that they are just doing this due to the fact that they believe it will make the dog appearance ‘tough’ or they can offer the dog for more money.
“We have actually seen dogs who have actually suffered due to the fact that of the after results of this vicious treatment.
“They are at a high danger of infection and pain – what’s fashionable or stylish about that? Absolutely absolutely nothing.
“It’s done simply for cosmetic functions and regretfully can cause puppies being cost a lot more money.
“We’d advise the general public and anybody seeking to purchase a puppy to bear in mind that this is a prohibited treatment which has extremely negative effects for the dogs themselves.”
A spokesperson for the Dogs Trust, the UK’s biggest dog well-being charity which has rehoming centres in Kenilworth and Shrewsbury, included: “Ear cropping is an unpleasant, vicious treatment, that is of no advantage to dogs which can be harmful to their well-being, stopping them from interacting, as dogs utilize their ears to express their feelings.
“Although it has actually been unlawful to crop a dog’s ears in the UK because the 2006 Animal Welfare Act in addition to in EU nations, it is still not unlawful to offer or import dogs with cropped ears; a severe loophole in the legislation, which is being made use of by lawbreakers to allow them to continue to offer mutilated dogs.
“The federal government’s Kept Animals Bill would have prohibited the import of dogs with cropped ears, however regretfully the UK federal government ditched this promise in May in 2015. However, they later on verified that they would be taking forward the procedures in the expense as a different single-issue expense.
“Dogs Trust continues to advise ministers to quickly table brand-new legislation to lastly end the import of dogs with cropped ears.”
