Stop the rising number of ear-cropped dogs in the UK
105,844 people signed this petition to the UK Parliament after it opened on 24 February 2021; it closed on 24 August 2021. The Government responded on 9 March 2021. MPs debated it in Westminster Hall on 7 June 2021.
The petition
The petition's creator is not named in the Petitions site's published record. Quoted in full from the UK Parliament petitions site.
Stop the rising number of ear-cropped dogs in the UK
Leading veterinary and welfare bodies are concerned by the alarming rise in ear-cropped dogs in the UK. 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.
The RSPCA states a 621% increase in reports of ear cropping from 2015 to 2020. We believe a rise in UK celebs sharing images of their cropped dogs on social media is helping to fuel this. While illegal to crop in the UK, it’s not illegal to sell ear-cropped dogs, import them from abroad or take dogs abroad to be cropped. These loopholes act as a smokescreen for those illegally cropping in UK. We call on the Government to close these loopholes and end the trend in ear-cropped dogs for good.
The Government's response
The Government published its response on 9 March 2021; the petitions site lists the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs as responsible. Its summary:
The Government welcomes further evidence on this abhorrent practice from the RSPCA. We will also explore options to tackle the import of mutilated dogs, consistent with World Trade Organisation rules.
The opening 359 words of the 483-word response:
The practice of mutilating dogs’ ears is abhorrent and has rightly been banned in the UK for 15 years.
We already have some of the world’s highest animal welfare standards. Now we have left the EU we have the opportunity to consider options regarding the importation and commercial movements of dogs with cropped ears into Great Britain.
Under section 5 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 Act it is an offence to carry out certain surgical procedures, unless they are specifically exempted under The Mutilations (Permitted Procedures) (England) Regulations 2007 (the 2007 Regulations). The cropping of dogs’ ears is not exempted under the 2007 Regulations and consequently is prohibited in England. Similar legislation applies in Scotland and Wales.
The maximum penalty for causing unnecessary suffering to an animal or cropping a dog’s ears is 6 months’ imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine. However, the Government is committed to increasing the maximum custodial penalty for both of these offences from six months to five years. The Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill, currently before Parliament, will continue to receive Government support as it completes its passage through Parliament.
Equally, the Government has powers to intervene on animal welfare grounds. Importers of animals must adhere to welfare standards as set out in Council Regulation (EC) 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport and in domestic legislation, The Welfare of Animals (Transport) (England) Order 2006 (WATEO). This legislation aims to protect the health and welfare of animals during transportation and applies to dogs that are suffering injury as a result of non-exempted mutilations.
The Government will engage with stakeholders, including the RSPCA, to understand the extent to which dogs are having their ears cropped in breach of the law in this country. Now the Transition Period has ended, we also have the opportunity to consider options regarding this abhorrent practice for imported dogs, in line with World Trade Organisation rules and would welcome further evidence from stakeholders and the public on this issue. The Government is taking steps to ensure that the illegal importation of pets is stopped, and that pets brought into the UK through legal means receive a high standard of care.
Read the full response on the petitions site.
Where the signatures came from
Signatures came from 650 constituencies on the boundaries used until the 2024 general election. The largest number, 480, came from Pontypridd.
104,954 of the signatures were from the UK and 890 from elsewhere, by the location signers gave.
| Constituency | Signatures |
|---|---|
| Pontypridd | 480 |
| Cardiff West | 436 |
| Vale of Glamorgan | 424 |
| Cardiff South and Penarth | 422 |
| Cardiff North | 395 |
| Liverpool, Riverside | 341 |
| Rhondda | 337 |
| Caerphilly | 336 |
| Bridgend | 311 |
| Ogmore | 301 |
| Region | Signatures |
|---|---|
| South East | 14,555 |
| North West | 12,965 |
| East of England | 10,642 |
| South West | 9,679 |
| Wales | 8,686 |
| West Midlands | 8,115 |
| Scotland | 8,096 |
| London | 8,013 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 7,674 |
| East Midlands | 7,377 |
| North East | 3,246 |
| Northern Ireland | 2,556 |
Debate in Parliament
MPs debated the petition in Westminster Hall on 7 June 2021. Read the debate in Hansard. House of Commons Library debate pack.
Source and receipt
- https://petition.parliament.uk/archived/petitions/574305.jsonUK Parliament Petitions API · read 2026-10-15 · SHA-256
f65b3badd9b875ac… - The petition on petition.parliament.uk
The petition's words are its creator's and the response is the Government's; this site quotes both and gives no view on either. Signature counts can still change while a petition is open. To report an error, send a correction request.