Importing dogs with cropped ears could be banned under a national effort to stamp out this “abhorrent” cruelty.
Campaigners have warned that the “mutilated” dogs continue to be brought into Britain.
The Government launched a consultation on banning the import of dogs with cropped ears back in 2021 and says that it is now “carefully reviewing” the responses.
The ears of American bullies and Italian cane corsos are often cropped to make the animals look more aggressive, while some people also mistakenly believe that cropping is a way to reduce the chance of infection.
Ira Moss, of rescue and rehoming charity All Dogs Matter, called for an immediate ban.
She said: “Ear cropping is a cruel, horrific and unnecessary practice and is illegal in the UK.
“However, we continue to see dogs abandoned here whose ears have been mutilated by irresponsible breeders abroad.
“We would like to see an end to dogs’ needless suffering in this way and an immediate ban on importing dogs with cropped ears.”
The RSPCA’s Samantha Gaines said: “We do have concerns that ear cropping is being carried out illegally, and underground, in this country. But we suspect that the majority of dogs with cropped ears are being sent abroad to have the procedure done or are being bought and imported deliberately from countries with less stringent animal welfare laws and regulations than here.”
The Dogs Trust said: “In order to stop dogs being illegally imported into the UK, we urgently need legislation that will increase the age at which puppies can be imported to six months, ban the non-commercial transport of pregnant dogs in their last trimester, ban the commercial import of pregnant dogs, and introduce a ban on the importation and sale of dogs with cropped ears and docked tails for cosmetic reasons.”
Environment minister Mark Spencer said: “The practice of non-exempted mutilations, such as cropping dogs’ ears, is abhorrent and has rightly been banned in the UK for 10 years. We are reviewing the feedback from our consultation and a summary will be published in due course.”
