Cropping is the removal of part or all of the external flaps of an animal's ear. The procedure sometimes involves bracing and taping the remainder of the ears to train them to point upright. Almost exclusively performed on dogs, it is an old practice that was once done for perceived health, practical or cosmetic reasons. Veterinary science states there is no medical or physical advantage to the animal from the procedure,Slatter, Douglas H. (2002) Textbook of small animal surgery 3rd edition. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders (imprint of Elsevier Health Sciences), 2896 pages, , p.1746 leading to concerns of animal cruelty over performing unnecessary surgery on animals. In modern times, cropping is banned in many nations, but is still legal in a limited number of countries. Where permitted, it is seen only in certain breeds of dog, such as pit bull and bull terrier type breeds, the Doberman Pinscher, Schnauzer, Great Dane, Boxer and Cane Corso.

History and purposes Historically, cropping was performed on working dogs as it was believed it would decrease the risk of health complications, such as ear infections or hematomas. Crops were also performed on dogs that might need to fight, either while hunting animals that might fight back or while defending livestock herds from predators, or because they were used for pit-fighting sports such as dog fighting or bear-baiting. possible duplicate page

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Early history Roman practices were to crop dogs' ears to avoid damage and injury in fighting and hunting, with tail docking practiced to avoid the transmission of rabies.

Guardian breeds Cropping the ears of livestock guardian dogs was, and may still be, traditional in some pastoral cultures. The ears of these guardian dogs—such as the Caucasian Shepherd Dog and the Maremmano-Abruzzese Sheepdog—were traditionally cropped to reduce the possibility of wolves or opponent-dogs getting a grip on them.

According to one description, cropping was carried out when puppies were weaned, at about six weeks. It was performed by an older or expert shepherd, using the ordinary blade shears used for shearing, well sharpened. The ears were cut either to a point like those of a fox, or rounded like those of a bear. The removed auricles were first grilled, then given to the puppy to eat, in the belief that it would make him more "sour". An alternative method was to remove the ears from newborn puppies by twisting them off; however, this left almost no external ear on the dog. Both ear-cropping and the use of spiked collars were described more than three hundred years ago, as a defense against wolves.

Fighting Similar to guardian breeds, in sport fighting, cropping is used to minimize the risk of ears being bitten and held. The ears were an easy target for an opposing animal to grab or tear. Dogs may have their ears cropped, legally or not, for participation in dogfights, themselves illegal in many jurisdictions.

Modern practices In 2000, veterinarian Bruce Fogle wrote:

The procedure The veterinary procedure is known as "cosmetic otoplasty", and involves the removal of a portion of the pinnae, the external flap of the ear. Cropping is usually performed on puppies at 7 to 12 weeks of age.Practice of Dogs Ear cropping [sic] Doggie's Paradise. Accessed September 2011 After 16 weeks, the procedure is more painful and the animal has greater pain memory. Usually up to of the ear flap is removed in a cropping operation, and the wound edges are closed with stitches. The ears are then bandaged. Long crops are taped until they heal into the proper shape. The procedure is recommended to be undertaken under general anaesthesia; opponents' primary concerns revolve around post-operative pain.

American veterinary schools do not generally teach cropping (or docking), and thus veterinarians who perform the practice have to learn on the job. There are also problems with amateurs performing ear-cropping, particularly at puppy mills.

In the last 100 years or so, ear cropping has been performed more often for cosmetic purposes. In nations and states where it remains legal, it is usually practiced because it is required as part of a breed standard for exhibition at dog shows.Ear cropping and tail docking The Canadian Federation of Humane Societies/Fédération des sociétés canadiennes d'assistance aux animaux (CFHS/FSCAA). Accessed September 2011. In the US, although tail-docking, dewclaw removal, and neutering procedures remain common, ear-cropping is declining, except within the dog show industry. Some show ring competitors state they would discontinue the practice altogether if they could still "win in the ring."

Examples of cropping styles

Animal welfare and law

The practice is illegal across most of Europe, including all countries that have ratified the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals, and most member countries of the Fédération Cynologique Internationale. It is illegal in regions of Spain and in some Canadian provinces.

Ear-cropping is still widely practiced in the United States and parts of Canada, with approximately 130,000 puppies in the United States thought to have their ears cropped each year. The American Kennel Club (AKC) and Canadian Kennel Club both permit the practice. The AKC position is that ear cropping and tail docking are "acceptable practices integral to defining and preserving breed character and/or enhancing good health."Ear Cropping, Tail Docking and Dewclaw Removal American Kennel Club Canine Legislation Position Statements While some individual states have attempted to ban ear-cropping, there is strong opposition from some dog breed organizations, who cite health concerns and tradition.

The American Veterinary Medical Association "opposes ear cropping and tail docking of dogs when done solely for cosmetic purposes" and "encourages the elimination of ear cropping and tail docking from breed standards".

In 2009, veterinary chain Banfield Pet Hospital announced they would no longer do tail docking, ear cropping or devocalization on dogs.

It has been suggested the cropping may interfere with a dog's ability to communicate using ear signals, however there has been no scientific comparative study of ear communication in cropped and uncropped dogs.Coren, Stanley (2001) How to speak dog: mastering the art of dog-human communication New York: Simon & Schuster chap. 9 [pages unnumbered]

Legal status by country Country Status Ban/restriction date (if applicable) Australia Banned Austria Banned 1 January 2005 Belgium Banned1 January 2006 Bosnia and Herzegovina Banned Brazil Banned for cosmetic purposes Bulgaria Banned 1 February 2005 Canada Canada has no federal law banning pet cosmetic surgery. The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association opposes all cosmetic alterations. Two provinces have provincial legislation prohibiting ear cropping, tail docking, and most cosmetic surgeries: Prince Edward Island (☨1) and Newfoundland and Labrador (☨2).

Three provinces' veterinary associations ban all veterinarians from performing cosmetic surgeries on pets: New Brunswick (☨3), Nova Scotia (☨4),CBC News (March 25, 2010)N.S veterinarians ban tail docking Accessed February 10, 2012. and Quebec (☨5)

Three provincial veterinary associations have bans on ear cropping alone: Manitoba (☨6), British Columbia (☨7), and Saskatchewan (☨8).☨1: 10 July 2015 ☨2: 1978 ☨3: 15 October 2008 ☨4: 1 April 2010 ☨5: 1 January 2017 ☨6: 3 February 2012 ☨7: 2015 ☨8: 2013 Colombia Banned Croatia Banned 2007 Cyprus Banned 1993 Czech Republic Banned 1 April 1999 Denmark Banned 1 June 1996 England and Wales Banned The ban is generally on any "procedure which involves interference with the sensitive tissues or bone structure of the animal, otherwise than for the purpose of its medical treatment", except tail docking, which is covered by section 6. 1899 Estonia Banned 2001 Finland Banned 15 February 1971 France Banned 1 January 2010 Germany Banned 1 May 1992 Guatemala Banned for cosmetic purposes Conozca las sanciones que puede recibir si decide cortarle la cola y orejas a su perro 2017 Greece Banned 27 February 1992 Hungary Banned Iceland Banned 2001 India Previously restricted, currently unrestricted Ireland Banned Israel Banned 2000 Italy Banned 1 November 2011 Latvia Banned Lithuania Banned Luxembourg Banned 1 May 1992 Netherlands Banned 1 September 2001 New Zealand Banned 2004 Northern Ireland Banned 2011 Norway Banned 1954 Poland Banned 1997 Portugal Banned 1 January 1994 Romania Banned 2008 Russia Restricted Scotland Banned 1899 Serbia Banned 2019 Slovakia Banned 1 January 2003 Slovenia Banned Slovene Animal Protection Act (in Slovene) April 2007 South Africa Banned June 2008 Spain Banned in autonomies of Catalonia and Andalucia Sweden Banned 1989 Switzerland Banned 1997 Turkey Banned 2004 United States Unrestricted 2003 Virgin Islands Banned 2005

Non-canine animals Cropping of large portions of the pinnae of other animals is rare, although the clipping of identifying shapes in the pinnae of livestock, called earmarks, was common prior to the introduction of compulsory ear tags.Lexique Camarguais (in French) Manade Devaux. "Lexicon of Camargue terms" Accessed September 2011 Removal of portions of the ear of laboratory mice or neutered feral cats for identification, i.e. ear-notching or ear-tipping, is still used. The practice of cropping for cosmetic purposes is rare in non-canines, although some selectively bred animals have naturally small ears which can be mistaken for cropping.

See also Docking (dog tails) Ear shaping (human ears) Overview of discretionary invasive procedures on animals

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