A dog breeder has been fined after he was found with a £5,000 puppy that had its ears cut off.
Michael Dawson, 49, was caught with the American pocket bully-type bitch following a raid at his Plymouth house.
Riot the puppy was seized by the RSPCA and rehomed after being found in a crate in the garden with cropped ears.
Dawson was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay £100 victim surcharge but was not banned from keeping animals because he claimed breeding dogs was his only source of income.
Riot the puppy was seized by the RSPCA and rehomed after being found in a crate with cropped ears
Mike Dawson was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay £100 victim surcharge but was not banned from keeping animals because he said breeding dogs was his only source of income
Riot had her ears cropped, leading to a fine for Plymouth breeder Michael Dawson (right)
Own goal: Andy Carroll and Billi Mucklow have also shared photos of their cropped puppy Bane on social media
Ear cropping, which dates back thousands of years, was originally performed on working dogs to prevent risk of ear infection and other potential health risks, but has also been adopted by owners who breed the animal specifically for hunting and dog-fighting.
The cruel procedure, known as docking, is illegal in the UK under the Animal Welfare Act unless it is carried out for medical reasons.
Dawson pleaded guilty to permitting another person to perform a prohibited procedure or failing to protect a protected animal in June 2019.
He told the court he bought the puppy from a Scottish breeder for £5,000, and claimed he sent Riot away ‘to meet a potential mate’ but was ‘upset’ when she returned with her ears cropped.
A vet who examined Riot found both of her ears had been surgically removed and biopsies showed the injuries had been inflicted around two weeks earlier.
The RSPCA says ear-cropping is on the increase despite being illegal, claiming pet owners are encouraged by celebrities who have cropped dogs.
The charity warns the procedure is painful and unnecessary and affects the way dogs hear and communicate.
Dawson was fined in November at the same court for having illegal veterinary medicines following a raid by officials from the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Dawson and his company, Element Bullys, admitted having five substances, including prescription-only antibiotic treatment for dogs.
Dawson was fined £265 and ordered to pay £85 costs and £30 victim surcharge. Element Bullys Ltd, based at Faraday Mill Business Park in Cattedown was fined £1,500, plus £150 victim surcharge.
Celebrities including Little Mix star Leigh-Anne Pinnock and former England footballer Andy Carroll and his wife, former TOWIE star Billi Mucklow have been criticised for showing off dogs with cropped ears.
Under fire: Other stars to come under fire for showing off cropped dogs include Manchester United ace Marcus Rashford
Controversy: Celebrities including Little Mix star Leigh-Anne Pinnock have been criticised for showing off dogs with cut ears, a procedure banned in the United Kingdom
Taking to Instagram last year, Leigh-Anne was slammed by fans after sharing a snap of herself and cropped dog Kyro.
Jordan Banjo also addressed comments followers who questioned why he has got a dog with cropped ears, after he introduced Sergio on Instagram.
The Diversity star, 27, shared a picture of Sergio sitting in a field earlier this week, as he revealed they had added a new addition to their family.
However many fans noted Sergio’s ears, which had been cropped, and Jordan was quick to assure fans it was not him who had cut the dog’s ears.
The government is now considering banning the import of dogs with cropped ears, according to The Telegraph.
A Defra spokesperson told the paper: ‘Now we have left the EU we have the opportunity to manage our own rules applying to pet travel movements into Great Britain including considering the ban of imports of dogs with cropped ears.’