It's time to #CutTheCrop.

Ear cropping is a painful and illegal mutilation. 

It is illegal to perform ear cropping in UK, however it is not illegal to sell or import ear-cropped dogs, and it's not a specific offence to send dogs abroad to be cropped.

We’re calling on the government to close these legal loopholes. 

What’s the issue with ear cropping? 

Ear cropping is illegal in the UK and an unnecessary, painful mutilation with no welfare benefit. The practice involves cutting off part of the ear flap, often without anaesthesia or pain relief.

Despite it being illegal to crop dogs' ears in the UK, it remains legal to import and sell dogs with cropped ears, and it's not a specific offence to send dogs abroad to be cropped. We want this to change. 

Vets and animal welfare organisations are increasingly seeing cases of dogs with cropped ears. This worrying trend is rife on social media too, with celebrities and influencers sharing images of their ear-cropped dogs. 

It's time to send a clear message that cropping dogs' ears is not ok and end the trend of ear-cropped dogs for good.

How can you get involved?

Take action to #CutTheCrop

Share your support for the campaign: 

  • Write to retailers about the sale of ear cropping and/or splinting kits using our template letter
  • Share our #CutTheCrop graphics:
  • Call out celebrities on social media who post pictures with their cropped dogs and encourage them to #CutTheCrop. Signpost to this page for more information. 
Take action to #CutTheCrop Image

Veterinary professionals can report cases:

Read RCVS Code of Professional Conduct guidance on client confidentiality and circumstances where it may deemed necessary to disclose information to the authorities.

Members of the public can report cases of ear cropping:

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Read our blogs 

Why an alarming new trend has vets saying, ‘Cut the crop!’

A recent spike in cases of illegal ear cropping points to the need for urgent action by the veterinary profession and the wider public to curb this worrying trend. In this blogs, BVA Senior Vice President Daniella Dos Santos introduces the issue and shares what the public and vet professionals can do to take action. 

A disturbing rise in ear cropping cases in practice

Small animal vet and BVA past president Robin Hargreaves raises alarm over a recent surge in ear cropping cases he has been seeing practice.

Scottish SPCA supports the #CutTheCrop campaign

Vets in Scotland can report cases of ear cropping to the Scottish SPCA. In this blog, Chief superintendent of the Scottish SPCA, Mike Flynn, share information about the Scottish SPCA’s confidential animal helpline.