Owners or importers of dogs with their ears cropped can face hefty fines and even prison sentences under the new ear cropping practice laws, reports RTE.
Corinna Fitzsimmons, Communications Manager at Dogs Trust, said the practice of ear cropping is “completely and utterly unethical” and there is “no justification whatsoever for it”.
Speaking to RTÉ’s Today with Claire Byrne, she said: “There’s obviously going to be some sort of an amnesty for somebody who is in possession of a dog who currently has cropped ears, just in case anyone is worried about that hearing this news.”
According to a report in The Irish Times, the new rules will also affect those who operate or control vehicles, ships or aircraft used to import trimmed dogs.
The paper reports that the legislation, which will be signed into law next week by Agriculture Minister Charlie McConaughey, will go into effect next month and will include restrictions on people owning or controlling dogs that have undergone the procedure, reports RTE.
Those found to be infringing can be fined up to €250,000 and five years in prison if the case is deemed serious, or fined €5,000 or up to six months if deemed lesser.
Ms Fitzsimons said untrained people often use a blade to remove a dog’s ears.
“They literally cut through the flap of the dog’s ear, it goes through cartilage and nerve endings, not given any anaesthesia,” she explained. They are often young puppies and there can be a misconception that really young puppies can’t feel pain, when actually their brain is developing at that stage and the trauma, and the pain can affect them for the rest of their lives,” she said, reports RTE.
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