Joey Essex returns puppy animal rights activists slammed cropped ears

Posted on : 09/01/2022
Joey Essex returns puppy animal rights activists slammed cropped ears
Celebrities 

‘Taking him on as a pet would justify this cruel procedure’: Joey Essex RETURNS Doberman puppy after coming under fire from animal rights activists for sharing photo of dog with cropped ears

Joey Essex has returned a Doberman puppy after discovering the dog had its ears cropped abroad.

The reality TV star, 32, planned to adopt the pet from a family friend and posted a picture on his Instagram account saying: ‘Newest member’.

But after being inundated with messages pointing out the dog’s controversial procedure – which is illegal in the UK – ‘horrified’ Joey decided against keeping the mutt because he does not want to condone animal cruelty.

Criticism: Joey Essex has returned a Doberman puppy he bought after he faced backlash for buying it after posting a picture online

Mutilated: Joey’s picture of the dog clearly showed its ears sticking up, rather than pointing down, which is a characteristic of ear cropping

Joey told MailOnline: ‘I really wanted to give the dog a home, I fell in love with him.

‘But me taking him on as a pet would justify this cruel procedure, which will give the wrong message to my fans and followers.

‘I’m an animal lover.’

Joey’s picture of the dog clearly showed its ears sticking up, rather than pointing down, which is a characteristic of ear cropping.

Making amends: Joey is now encouraging his followers by signing a petition called the Kept Animal Bill which seeks to make it illegal to import ear cropped dogs

EAR CROPPING 

  • Ear cropping is a painful process where a dog’s outer ears are removed altogether or are surgically altered, with the tips or huge sections of the outer ear being cut off
  •  It is illegal in England and Wales, under Section 5 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006
  • Ear cropping is done usually for cosmetic reasons and to make a dog look tougher or more intimidating 
  • The RSPCA reports the practice is becoming more normalised due to an increase in celebrities owning cropped dogs
  • Tail docking is another procedure that is illegal unless carried out by a vet for medical reasons

Source: RSPCA 

The procedure is often carried out without anaesthetic and is purely for cosmetic purposes to make them look fiercer.

It involves removing the dog’s outer ears or surgically altering them, with the tips or huge sections of the outer ear being cut off.

Joey deleted the snap shortly after posting due to the sheer number of negative comments.

And animal experts waded in, too, including

TV vet Sean McCormack who said: ‘What a disappointing development and quite frankly a kick in the teeth to all of us who have been tirelessly campaigning to stop the trend, practice and importation of dogs who have been mutilated for fashion by undergoing ear cropping.’

Animal welfare campaigner Jordan Shelley fumed: ‘Shame you felt the need to get a dog with mutilated ears. Ear cropping is a brutal illegal cosmetic mutilation. What a terrible example to be setting further normalising this abhorrent illegal procedure to all your following.’

Joey is now encouraging his followers by signing a petition called the Kept Animal Bill which seeks to make it illegal to import ear cropped dogs.

The reality star has added his signature, saying: ‘I urge everyone to join me and sign this petition.’

Joey is currently starring in a Paramount+ series All Star Shore alongside a host of famous reality stars from the globe.

He found fame on ITVBe series The Only Way Is Essex which led to an appearance on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! in 2013, in which he finished in fourth place.

Earlier this year he competed in the Australian version of the hit show.

Backlash: Dog lovers were quick to slam Joey over the ill-thought out post, saying that he was promoting the cruel practice

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