"Animal Cruelty" vs "Health Concerns": What Do You Think About Puppy 'Dani·Danmi Surgery'? [Kim Suwan's Animal Report]

Ear and Tail Docking Surgery for Puppies
Expert: "Mutilating Healthy Pets Is Clear Animal Abuse"

A foreigner is walking with a pet dog on a street in Jung-gu, Seoul. The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. Photo by Yonhap News.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suwan] "Cutting off perfectly healthy ears and tails is clear animal abuse," "Isn't it necessary for the dog's health?"

As awareness of animal rights has recently increased, the practice of cropping ears and docking tails of young puppies is still prevalent, causing social issues such as criticism of animal abuse. However, there are also claims that it is necessary for hygiene and body shape preservation, intensifying the conflict surrounding this issue.

Ear cropping and tail docking refer to the surgical removal of livestock's ears or tails as a treatment for diseases or as an orthopedic surgery for appearance.

In the past, breeds raised as herding dogs or hunting dogs had their ears or tails shortened to prevent injuries during activities.

During the Roman era, herding dogs on farms had their tails docked to prevent them from being stepped on by other livestock, and guard dogs had their ears and tails cut to appear more fierce.

The problem is that recently, ear cropping and tail docking surgeries are being performed for cosmetic reasons. Most surgeries are carried out due to human selfishness, such as ears hanging down looking unattractive or tails being too long to look stylish.

A representative example is the Doberman Pinscher, a breed created by Louis Dobermann in the late 19th century as a guard dog, where tails were docked within a week of birth and ears cropped between 2 to 4 months old. However, recently ears are being cut to a pointed shape for cosmetic reasons.

Even Pembroke Welsh Corgis, once herding dogs, have their tails artificially cut to maintain a cute appearance despite no longer herding livestock.

Another issue is the spread of incorrect information online, such as on social networking services (SNS) and online communities, where young puppies' tails or ears are tightly tied with rubber bands. Non-experts without proper knowledge about companion dogs are recklessly using this information.

However, such ear cropping and tail docking cause severe pain to companion dogs and raise concerns about various side effects like inflammation. Especially cutting a puppy's tail, which is a key means of communication, can lead to social deficiencies or interfere with daily life, requiring greater caution.

Under the current Animal Protection Act, surgeries on animals must be performed using veterinary methods. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

As a result, voices among pet owners are calling for a legal ban on ear cropping and tail docking surgeries. A 29-year-old office worker A, who has been raising a companion dog for three years, said, "This is not the old days, so I don't understand why unnecessary surgeries are done," adding, "Just because they are young puppies doesn't mean they don't feel pain. The tail is the most important means of expression for dogs. Forcibly removing it will naturally cause side effects."

He continued, "People who undergo such surgeries for cosmetic reasons just want a pretty doll," and raised his voice, saying, "I think abusive acts should be legally stopped as soon as possible."

On the other hand, those in favor of the surgeries argue that they are necessary for the health of companion dogs. On 'GangsaMo' (Gangajireul Saranghaneun Moim), the largest pet-related cafe by membership, and various online boards, posts related to 'ear cropping and tail docking surgeries' can be easily found.

One member posted a photo of a 2-3 month old companion dog, saying, "This breed tends to get dirty around the tail when defecating, so I heard it's better to cut the tail, but I'm unsure whether to do it."

Some point out that the reason indiscriminate ear and tail cutting surgeries are rampant is due to weak legal regulations. According to the current Animal Protection Act, surgical procedures must be performed by 'veterinary medical methods.' However, it does not enforce a ban on surgeries performed for cosmetic purposes.

Experts point out that damaging the body of a healthy companion dog is clear animal abuse.

Lee Wonbok, head of the Korea Animal Protection Union, said, "The main reason for cutting ears or tails is mostly to show off the companion dog to others," adding, "The risks of ear cropping and tail docking have already been proven medically. It causes not only pain but also trauma and even interferes with daily life."

He continued, "Such acts that cause pain to companion dogs due to human greed are clearly wrong and should be avoided," emphasizing, "The Animal Protection Act should be amended to allow strong sanctions in the future."