Title:  Dog show called off again in Manchester over ear crops

Source: The BBC

Date: 06 April 2023

Summary 

An international dog show run by the American Bully Kennel Club (ABKC) UK has been canceled for the section time due to concerns about animal welfare.

Situation:

1. The ABKC UK Bully Festival, an international dog show, was supposed to be held earlier this year in a city called Coventry, northwest of London.
2. After a BBC investigation into animal welfare, which showed American bully-type dogs with cropped ears winning awards, the venue in Coventry terminated its agreement with ABKC UK.
   1. The BBC investigation also involved a journalist secretly filming inside the home of an ABKC-qualified judge, in which they found 2 10-week puppies in a cage (“crate??”) with freshly cropped ears. 
3. Ear-cropping was a "painful process where a dog's outer ears are removed altogether or are surgically altered, with the tips or huge sections of the outer ear being cut off."
4. The practice has been called "cruel" and "mutilation" by welfare organizations and is illegal in the UK under the Animal Health and Welfare Act.

Problem

1. As a result of this cancellation, the ABCK UK Bully festival was set to take place in Manchester on Saturday, April 8th.
2. However, the venue, Bowlers Exhibition Centre, ultimately decided to cancel the event "after careful consideration and extensive consultation with local authorities, police, and the RSPCA.” according to a spokesperson.
3. The RSPCA  (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), which has seen incidents of ear-cropping rise in recent years, was pleased about this cancellation after raising their concerns with the venue.
4. Dr. Samantha Gaines, from the charity, remarked, “Sadly, despite [being illegal and cruel], too many people still think this is a desirable cosmetic trait and inflict this on dogs for no other reason than for the look." 

Action

1. The ABKC dog show organizer Sean Main maintains he’s done nothing illegal and was quoted as saying, “It is not illegal for a dog with cropped ears to be imported into the country," - but to me, there are plenty of things that are legal and probably shouldn’t be…

Result

1. Fun fact - The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill, which is currently going through Westminster, would prohibit the import of dogs with cropped ears.
2. It has received cross-party support and backing from organizations, including the RSPCA, Dogs Trust, and British Veterinary Association.
3. Facts about the RSPCA:
   1. The RSPCA is funded primarily by voluntary donations. Founded in 1824, it is the oldest and largest animal welfare organization in the world.
   2. Controversy - fundraising in Scotland, political lobbying regarding badger culling, people upset that they allow euthanasia.
   3. “The RSPCA is working for a world where no rehome able animal is put to sleep. Currently, the RSPCA accepts, with great reluctance, that in certain circumstances, euthanasia may be necessary when the animal is not rehomed able, because it is sick or injured, for behavioral reasons, or occasionally because there are no appropriate homes available and the animal would therefore endure long-term suffering through deprivation of basic needs.[87]” but euthanized 205 healthy horses in  2014.
4. https://www.unityoffairfax.org/content/tao-te-ching-chapter-38

Closing 

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