Cropping a Dog's Ears or Tail Is Not a Good Idea

Cropping ears or docking tails is something done to certain breeds under the excuse it's better for them or gives them a tougher physical look. This is the case, for example, with breeds like the Doberman or the Pitbull. Let's take a detailed look at what harmful consequences this act can have for their health.

Is It Legal to Crop a Dog's Ears or Tail?

Generally, it's legal in some countries and illegal in others. In the UK or in Spain, for example, it's illegal, where amputating any part of a dog without justified medical reasons requiring it (amputation due to tumors, for example) is penalized.

So the answer is NO, it's not legal to crop a dog's ears, nor its tail. At least not in most civilized countries.

If you want to report a case, you can do so with the authorities in your country or through organizations like PACMA (in Spain),

• You can learn more about how to report it here: Report animal abuse - PACMA

Is It Beneficial to Crop a Dog's Ears?

NO. Ear cropping is a mutilation done to certain dogs so they look more "ferocious" aesthetically. It's a very painful practice for the dog and can negatively affect its development and socialization.

Not only is it traumatic for the dog, but it's a very painful process (imagine having them amputated yourself). Dogs need their ears to protect their hearing from wind or dust, to orient them and hear sounds better (something very important in guard dogs), or simply to express their mood and interact with other dogs. Every professional in the canine world knows properly socializing a dog is extremely important for its development — if its ears are cropped, it will be harder to communicate with other dogs.

On the other hand, it poses a health problem for the dog, since with cropped ears, it's easier for dirt to build up, for dust/pollution to get in, etc... which will cause the dog to develop infections such as otitis or complications from it like conjunctivitis.

And all this... assuming the surgery goes well. Since infections during the mutilation are quite common and can even end the dog's life.

Is It Beneficial to Dock a Dog's Tail?

Defenders claim that docking a dog's tail lets it run better, defend itself better, etc... They also claim some dogs have too strong a tail that could hurt people, that they look prettier aesthetically, and so on.... defenders make claims so absurd we can immediately understand it's simply people unable to appreciate how serious this act is.

A dog's tail is an extension of its spine, yes, you heard that right — if you dock a dog's tail, you're removing part of its spine. The tail is essential for the dog in every area of its life.

As everyone knows, a dog's tail movement has a precise meaning that not only we humans can understand, but other dogs understand too, letting them communicate with each other.

Dogs use their tail to balance when running, jumping, or playing — have you ever seen a dog's tail do a "helicopter" spin when it comes running toward you and suddenly has to brake? A dog's tail is essential for it to socialize with other dogs.

Docking a dog's tail isn't just an absurd, cruel mutilation — it's a life sentence for the dog. An extremely painful process that will cause it balance and communication problems throughout its life.