DIY 'vets' are charging as much as £1,000 to mutilate the ears of small dogs as part of a cruel and illegal trend, it has been revealed.
Animal cruelty investigators have reported a huge rise in ear cropping, with the Scottish SPCA seeing an increase of more than 600% in calls relating to the practice in only six years.
The organisation said it is now receiving more and more reports about the work 'puppy butchers', who wield scissors, kitchen knives and scalpels on unwitting pets, reports the Daily Record.
Ear cropping - the popularity of which has partly been blamed on celebrities who post photos of their pets on social media - can cost owners up to a grand, and is often carried out without adequate anaesthetic at backstreet clinics.
It provides no benefits for the dog and can inflict permanent damage, including an inability of their ears to stand properly and possible infection.
The practice is classed as animal cruelty in the UK, and a number of people have been prosecuted for carrying it out in recent years following tip-offs by members of the public.
In January this year a dog owner pled guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to causing unnecessary suffering through failing to provide veterinary treatment for injuries caused by a prohibited procedure.
His tiny dogs were seized, and he was slapped with a two-year ban on keeping animals.
He also received a 40-day restriction of liberty order.
A Scottish SPCA SIU inspector involved in the case said they were alerted by a member of the public.
He said: “Both dogs had injuries to their ears. The wounds were red, crusted and looked recent.
“We immediately removed the dogs due to concerns for their welfare and took them to one of our centres to be examined by a vet. The vet examined their wounds and found they were still in a stage of healing and appeared to cause some discomfort when touched.
“This illegal procedure would have caused these puppies considerable pain and discomfort, for purely cosmetic reasons
The inspector said Chrystal had claimed he had owned the puppies for two weeks and that their ears were already cropped when he received them.
He also shared that they were given to him ‘on breeder’s terms’, meaning he would keep them as a pet until the breeder required them back for breeding.
Both pups have been since been rehomed.
Another similar case saw a man given a 12-month ban on owning, keeping or working with animals after he admitted allowing the dog’s ears to be cropped. He claimed he believed such a procedure would make the pet less aggressive.
Scottish SPCA chief superintendent Mike Flynn said: “It’s incredibly worrying to see the increase in ear cropping over the past three years. We want to be clear on this: ear cropping is a needless cosmetic procedure that inflicts horrendous suffering on dogs. It serves no purpose other than to make the animal look a certain way.
“In order to avoid detection, this procedure is often carried out on young puppies without sedation, pain relief or proper veterinary care. Due to this, when we are alerted to these types of incidents, the wounds are usually horribly infected and the puppy is in a tremendous amount of pain.
“We would urge the public not to purchase animals with cropped ears. Even if you are told the dog has been imported from another country where this procedure is legal, often this is not the case and the ear cropping has simply been carried out illegally.
“Regardless of where the procedure is carried out, by purchasing that dog you are contributing to their suffering and the suffering of other dogs like them.
He urged anyone in Scotland with information on those carrying out ear cropping procedures to call their confidential animal helpline on 03000 999 999.
The RSPCA also operate a confidential helpline in England and Wales, which can be reached by dialling 0300 1234 999.
