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Cutting off dogs' ears for fashion - 7th February 2022

Some dog breeders are breaking the law for fashion. Dogs with cut or 'cropped' ears are popular on social media. And dog breeders are offering to cut puppies' ears for new owners. It's an easy way for them to make money.

Cropping means taking off the soft part of a dog's outer ear. It usually happens with dog breeds like the American Bully and other fighting dogs. People think it makes them look angrier and stronger.

Cropping is illegal in the UK. There has been a secret investigation by British journalists. It's found some breeders are producing illegal dog passports.

These documents say the dogs' ears were removed abroad. Breeders can then get more than £10,000 for one of these puppies. They also come with a passport.

Vanessa Waddon works for an animal charity and rescues dogs in need. She worries that social media is causing the problem. Celebrities are posting pictures of their dogs with cropped ears and this encourages the trend.

For the dogs themselves, ear cropping can cause problems. Dogs use their ears to communicate with one another. If you remove a dog's ears, it can cause health issues or change the dog's behaviour.