Stand Up for Dogs — End Cosmetic Ear Cropping

0 signatures toward our 30,000 goal

0.0% Complete

Sponsor: The Animal Rescue Site

Every day, countless dogs endure unnecessary pain and trauma from cosmetic ear cropping. Help end this cruel practice!

Stand Up for Dogs — End Cosmetic Ear Cropping

Ear cropping is a painful and outdated procedure that has no place in a compassionate society. Despite being banned in many countries, it remains legal in parts of the United States, where it continues to be performed on dogs, often without medical justification. This cruel practice involves surgically removing part of a dog’s ear flap, typically done to achieve a certain look in breeds like Dobermans, Great Danes, and Pit Bulls. But this is more than a cosmetic choice—it’s an act of unnecessary harm.

Ear Cropping: A Needless Source of Pain

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and other leading veterinary organizations have made it clear that ear cropping is not medically necessary1. The procedure is performed on puppies as young as six weeks old, a time when their pain tolerance is still developing. Undergoing surgery at this stage in life not only causes physical pain but can also lead to long-term psychological trauma2. Dogs rely on their ears for communication, expressing emotions like fear, aggression, or playfulness. When their ears are cropped, this ability is significantly impaired, leading to misunderstandings with other dogs and humans, and increasing the likelihood of behavioral issues3.

Myths and Misconceptions of Ear Cropping

Despite these facts, some breed standards, upheld by organizations like the American Kennel Club (AKC), still include ear cropping as a norm. This enforcement of aesthetic ideals over the well-being of animals is ethically indefensible. The claim that ear cropping reduces the risk of ear infections or is necessary for working dogs has been thoroughly debunked by scientific studies4. In truth, the practice persists primarily due to tradition and the misguided belief that it enhances the appearance of certain breeds.

The Dangers of Non-Medical Ear Cropping

In many cases, ear cropping is not even performed by licensed veterinarians but by breeders, increasing the risk of complications such as infection, excessive bleeding, and even death5. The procedure offers no health benefits to the dog; it only serves human vanity. This is why countries like the United Kingdom have already banned ear cropping, recognizing it as a form of cruelty6.

Take Action for Compassionate Treatment

But change is possible. Public awareness and action can lead to stricter regulations and ultimately, the elimination of this inhumane practice. By banning cosmetic ear cropping and removing it from breed standards, we can protect countless dogs from unnecessary suffering. The time to act is now.

Join us in calling on the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to ban the practice of ear cropping when done solely for cosmetic purposes and to encourage its removal from breed standards.

Sign the petition and together, we can ensure a better, kinder future for all dogs.

More on this issue:

  1. Cathy Gait, Outward Hound (5 April 2022), "Ear Cropping: A Medically Unnecessary Cosmetic Procedure."
  2. Emmanuel Oloyede, British Veterinary Association (7 May 2021), "Overlooked Behavioural Consequences of Ear Cropping."
  3. Marc Bekoff Ph.D., Psychology Today (1 December 2021), "Cosmetic Surgeries and Life-Extending Drugs for Dogs."
  4. Dr. Karyn Kanowski, BVSc MRCVS, Dogster (17 July 2024), "Dog Tail Docking & Ear Cropping: Our Vet Discusses Ethics & Health Considerations."
  5. Kori Williams, Green Matters (19 September 2023), "Ear Cropping Can Negatively Impact a Dog’s Entire Life — Here’s Why."
  6. RSPCA (2024), "Dog Ear Cropping."

The Petition

To the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS),

We, the undersigned, respectfully urge APHIS to take immediate action to ban the practice of ear cropping in dogs when performed solely for cosmetic purposes. This practice, which causes unnecessary pain and suffering to countless animals, is an outdated and inhumane procedure that no longer has a place in our society.

Ear cropping, once believed to serve practical purposes, has been proven to be medically unnecessary and harmful to the well-being of dogs. It is now primarily done to adhere to breed standards that prioritize aesthetics over the health and happiness of the animals involved. We believe it is time for these breed standards to evolve to reflect the values of humanity and compassion that our society strives to uphold.

By banning cosmetic ear cropping and encouraging the removal of this practice from breed standards, APHIS will be taking a significant step toward ensuring the welfare of our canine companions. Dogs, like all animals, deserve to live without unnecessary pain, to express their natural behaviors, and to thrive in environments that prioritize their well-being over human vanity.

These actions will not only protect the individual dogs subjected to this cruel practice but will also set a precedent for the compassionate treatment of all animals. By leading the way in animal welfare, APHIS can help create a future where our laws and practices reflect our responsibility to care for the creatures that share our lives.

We strongly urge you to consider this petition and take action to ban cosmetic ear cropping and remove it from breed standards. Together, we can ensure a better, kinder future for all.

Sincerely,

DEV MODE ACTIVE. BRAND: gg