Joey Essex has been praised by animal rights activists after returning a Doberman puppy with cropped ears.
The British reality star said taking the dog as a pet would “justify this cruel procedure”. He added that it would “send the wrong message to my fans and followers.”
“I really wanted to give the dog a home,” he told the Daily mail. “I fell in love with him.” Essex has also described himself as an “animal lover”.
PETA supported Essex’s move. The organization praised him for deciding not to support the cruel practice of ear cropping.
“We commend Joey for letting his legions of fans know that he doesn’t approve of ear cropping,” PETA Vice President of Programs Elisa Allen said. Plant Based News (PBN).
“He will discover that the demand for ‘designer’ dogs, like Dobermanns, fuels cruel commercial puppy-breeding operations and irresponsible breeding practices that can cause animals to suffer from painful and debilitating conditions.”
In August, Essex posted a photo of the dog to his 1.8 million Instagram followers. He described them as the “newest member” of his family.
The post quickly drew backlash from animal rights groups. Activist Jordan Shelley said he was “normalizing ear cropping, an illegal and heinous mutilation, to his many supporters by getting a dog put down”.
What is ear cropping?
Ear cropping is a painful mutilation. It involves cutting off the majority of a dog’s ears and gluing the remains into an unnatural shape. It’s done for aesthetic reasons, as some people think it makes the dog more intimidating. The UK has banned the practice.
Despite this, the RSPCA previously noted that there had been an “alarming” 86% increase in the number of dogs with cropped ears in the country. He attributed this to the rise in the number of celebrities posting about these dogs on social media.
adopt don’t buy
Ear cropping is associated with the dog breeding trade. Activists have long urged the public to adopt from shelters and not buy their pets.
“While dog breeders produce puppies for profit, hundreds of thousands of animals in the UK – and millions more around the world – languish in shelters, waiting for a loving family,” said Allen. PBN. “Many will be euthanized because there just aren’t enough good homes for everyone.”
“If Joey really wants to do good with dogs, the best thing he can do is give a shelter a loving home and encourage his followers to still adopt, never shop.