Dog’s ears clipping is considered cruel and is illegal as it causes harmful infections and bleeding, severe pain in their ear. Many countries that have banned this practice are Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, England, France, Germany, and many more.
What is Dog Ear Cropping?
Cropping is the removal of all or a part of the dog’s external ear flap. It is usually performed on puppies of 6 to 12 weeks of age. After the ears are cut with the help of scissors, then the dogs have to wear tapes and bandages to heal for several weeks.
During this procedure, the pups are kept under anesthesia that could also lead to complex complications such as anaphylactic shock or swelling from some allergic reaction [1].
The dog’s ears are repeatedly bandaged for several weeks until they stop bleeding. They might have to stitch them again when it bleeds more. The vet may also need to keep checking and replacing the bandages on time to make sure that they heal properly.
Ear clipping is mostly done for cosmic reasons and receives health benefits. But they are generally done for the dogs to appear appealing and have sharp ear ears [2].
What Are The Risks Involved In This Procedure?
This procedure includes many risks along with anesthesia usage and post-surgery problems. In addition to this, the dog’s ears may get infections, experience light bleeding, or might require amputation, which is rare but possible.
After the completion of this surgery, the dog’s ears will get more sensitive and may experience pain for several weeks. Even after performing this procedure, there is no such guarantee that it will be successful after tolerating phantom pain.
Many owners forget that the puppies use their ears to communicate with them. So, cutting off some parts of a dog’s ear can not only affect their listening ability but also cause them severe pain that some pet owners might not understand.
Is Ear Chopping Right or Wrong?
Ear cropping is a controversial topic that is discussed by many dog groups from, veterinarians to breeders, along with animal rights activists. There are different opinions on this topic, which are mostly subjective.
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) states that they “oppose tail docking and ear cropping if done just for cosmetic reasons.” They even encourage eliminating tail docking and ear clipping from dog breeds [3].
On the other side, the American Kennel Club (AKC) says that ear clipping, dewclaw removal, and tail docking is a completely acceptable practice to define and preserve the character of dog breeds and improving their overall health.
Some Common Dog Breeds with Cropped Ears
Below are some of the common dog breeds that you will find with cropped ears:
- Affenpinscher
- American Pitbull Terrier
- Beauceron
- Bouvier des Flandres
- Briard
- Cane Corso
- Doberman Pinscher
- Giant Schnauzer
- Manchester Terrier
- Miniature Schnauzer
- Standard Schnauzer
- American Bully
- American Staffordshire Terrier
- Boston Terrier
- Boxer
- Brussels Griffon
- Caucasian Shepherd Dog
- German Pinscher
- Great Dane
- Miniature Pinscher
- Neapolitan Mastiff
Here Is The List of Countries That Have Banned This Practice:
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Canada
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- England
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- India
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Northern Ireland
- Norway
- Portugal
- Romania
- Russia
- Scotland
- Serbia
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Africa
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Turkey
- Virgin Islands
- Wales
- United States (only some parts like New York and Vermont)
Final Verdict
If you are thinking of getting your dog’s ear clipped or tail docked, stop right there and ask yourself – Is the pain and risks that my dog might experience even worth it? Every dog comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, which makes them unique. You must cherish the dogs the way they naturally look rather than changing their appearance according to your preferences.
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