Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2020 | 2 a.m.
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A brief in the Jan. 1 paper reported that the American Kennel Club (AKC) has created yet another ‘breed’ of dog called dogo Argentino. The dog’s ears were cropped to create a desired look. The surgery cuts two-thirds of the animal’s ears off and after surgery, the dog wears tape and bandages around its ears in hopes of them being in an upright position when healed. Of course, there is no guarantee it will work.
Shouldn’t people consider the health and well-being of an animal over unnecessary cosmetic surgery? Tell it like it is: It’s mutilation.
The American Veterinary Medical Association opposes ear cropping. It deems the surgery purely cosmetic. Ear cropping has been banned in parts of Canada, all of Australia, New Zealand and Scandinavian countries. In 2009, Banfield Pet hospitals, one of the largest vet chains in America, discontinued ear cropping and tail docking. Several vets locally also will not participate in this mutilation.
Shame on the AKC for not caring about the animals and inflicting this cruel practice on innocent dogs. It’s time the organization stepped up and did the right thing for animals. If people think this look is appealing, let them get their own ears cropped.
