Furthermore, suggestions have been put forward that ear cropping can affect the ability of the dog to hear and localise sound; however, there is not enough empirical evidence to support this [ 27 ]. Similarly, there is a lack of scientific evidence as to whether ear cropping causes either acute or chronic pain in dogs; however, due to the extensive nature of the wounds caused by the procedure, it must be assumed that it causes some level of acute pain [ 3 ]. There is sparse information regarding the common anaesthetic and analgesic protocols used when cropping a dog ' s ears [ 3 ]. It is also challenging to conduct controlled, ethical and safe studies looking into these welfare issues, due to the procedure being illegal or condemned in many countries.
Standpoints of the veterinary profession in the UK and overseas
In the UK, the British Veterinary Association( BVA) and British Veterinary Nursing Association( BVNA) are part of the Veterinary Animal Welfare Coalition. They support the FOAL( Focus on Animal Law) group [ 28 ], an organisation that encourages the development of new legislation to improve the quality of life of animals and hold accountable those who abuse or fail to protect animals. This has resulted in a campaign known by the # CuttheCrop and # FlopNotCrop hashtags, which calls for the closure of loopholes that allow ear cropping of dogs to continue [ 28 ]. It has been further backed by members of the Veterinary Animal Welfare Coalition including the British Veterinary Zoological Society, RSPCA, Scottish SPCA( SSPCA), PDSA and Blue Cross. Animal welfare organisations showing their support include Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, the National Animal Welfare Trust, Hope Rescue, the All-Party Parliamentary Dog Advisory Welfare Group and the UK Centre For Animal Law [ 29 ].
In other countries, veterinary bodies opposed to ear cropping include the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association( CVMA) [ 30 ], which encourages the promotion of the natural appearance and conformation of animals and is against non-therapeutic veterinary procedures for cosmetic or competitive reasons. The CVMA strongly urges its members to discourage owners from pursuing non-therapeutic veterinary procedures for their animals and to prevent access to such procedures, with the aim that any surgical procedure should be performed only for the benefit of the animal. The Australian Veterinary Association( AVA) [ 31 ] is opposed to ear cropping solely performed for cosmetic reasons, and the procedure is illegal in all states and territories of Australia. According to the AVA, performing any surgical procedure other than for a legitimate medical reason is unacceptable [ 31 ].
The American Veterinary Medical Association( AVMA) [ 32 ] has proposed that ear cropping performed for solely cosmetic reasons be banned. There is no ban on cosmetic procedures performed on companion animals in USA state law, but some states, such as Connecticut and Maryland, do require it to be performed only by a registered VS and under general anaesthesia [ 32 ]. The AVMA supports the removal of ear cropping and tail docking from breed standards [ 32 ]; however, they are still mentioned in the breed standards for certain breeds on the AKC ' s website [ 18 ], even though the surgical procedure for ear cropping is no longer taught in veterinary medical training in the USA [ 3 ].
The Chilean Veterinary Medical Association( Colmevet), through its National Technical Commissions on Responsible Pet Ownership, Bioethics and Animal Welfare, has expressed its rejection of cosmetic surgeries performed on animals and wants these procedures banned in Chile [ 15 ]. Furthermore, there is a Pan-American Congress of Veterinary Sciences, which discusses practices that are potentially harmful, such as ear cropping and tail docking, or those that can affect animal health and welfare in both the short and long term. Representatives come from over 14 countries in the Americas, including Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Colombia and Cuba. The congress facilitates and promotes social, commercial, academic and scientific exchange among veterinary professionals and institutions [ 15 ].
Despite the weight of opinion of veterinary and animal welfare organisations in many countries being against ear cropping, there are still VSs that will perform the procedure. This may be due to a perceived increased risk of complications and pain if the procedure were instead performed by a breeder or owner at home [ 14 ].
Standpoints of the Kennel Club and the American Kennel Club
The Kennel Club in the UK is against ear cropping, and banned dogs with cropped ears from being shown at its events over 100 years ago [ 33 ]. In 2023, at the international dog show Crufts, hosted by the Kennel Club, a dobermann with natural dropped ears won the working group title [ 34 ].
In contrast, the AKC argues:‘‘ ear cropping, tail docking, and dewclaw removal, as described in certain breed standards, are acceptable practices integral to defining and preserving breed character and / or enhancing good health. Appropriate veterinary care should be provided” [ 35 ].
In May 2023, the annual dog show of the Westminster Kennel Club, one of the oldest organisations in the USA dedicated to the sport of showing dogs [ 36 ], included two winners with cropped ears. They were a giant schnauzer, which won the working group, and an American Staffordshire terrier, which won the terrier group [ 37 ].
Breeders argue that judges are biased and discriminate against dogs that are shown with naturally dropped ears and full tails, and favour dogs with cropped ears
22 Veterinary Nursing Journal