RSPCA shelter seeks home for dogs who had ears illegally cropped

The RSPCA Danaher Animal Home in Wethersfield is looking to rehome two Anatolian shepherd dogs - Ezra and Rambo.

The pair were two of four dogs signed over to RSPCA officers by their previous owners and arrived at the charity’s home last month.

Danaher animal manager Craig Horsler said: “Ezra and Rambo are stunning Anatolian shepherds. The breed is an ancient guardian breed that was traditionally used in Europe for livestock guarding.

“They are intelligent and loyal and can fit in really well with families so could live with older primary school children.”

The home warns both Ezra and Rambo are large, strong dogs - Rambo weighs around 50kg - so would ideally suit new owners with experience with big breeds and homes with large gardens for them to enjoy and explore.

Craig added: “Ezra is a gentle, sociable dog and loves the company of other dogs so may be able to live with another dog.

Rambo. Picture: Danaher Animal Home

“She’s a loving, affectionate dog who loves to be stroked and spend time with people.

“Rambo is a laid-back gentleman but can be strong on the lead and can sometimes be over-excited.

“He loves human attention and enjoys laying next to you for fuss. He loves to spend time outside and socialises well with other dogs.

“Both dogs are really happy, friendly shepherds despite the fact they’ve had their ears cruelly cropped.”

The pair were both victims of illegal ear cropping which is a painful practice which sees the dog’s ears removed or surgically altered.

It’s illegal in England and Wales, under Section 5 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, to crop a dog’s ears but it’s still legal and, in some European countries, common practice.

The home say cropping does not benefit the dog in any way and can actually be detrimental to their health, behaviour and welfare.

Some dogs can have pain memory and be sensitive to touch around their ears and heads, which can mean they find common everyday routines - such as grooming or putting on a collar or harness - difficult.

They say other dogs can even find it difficult to communicate with other dogs and people; as dogs use their ears to express how they’re feeling.

Reports about the illegal practice of dog ear cropping have surged over the past year.

New figures, released by the RSPCA this week, show a 621% increase in the number of reports of ear cropping and cropped ears made to the animal welfare charity in the last six years.

From 2015 to 2020, the charity had a total of 279 reports of the practice made to its emergency hotline.