A cruel Lanarkshire dog owner has been banned from owning, keeping or working with animals for a year after causing "considerable pain and discomfort" to his puppy by illegally cropping his ears.
Kane, a six-month-old American bully, had belonged to Andrew Dean Kirkland, from Airdrie.
The dog was seized from 32-year-old Kirkland's care on April 30, 2021, after SSPCA officers attended his property and found Kane to have had his ears clipped.
With worries mounting for his welfare, the pup was rushed to a veterinary surgery where medics discovered that three quarters of both of the flaps on his ears had been removed, thought to be around three weeks earlier.
There were also dimples either side of the wound, which indicated the use of suture material - the instruments used during surgical procedures.
At first, Kirkland tried to claim that the dog had been imported from Bulgaria with cropped ears, but officers found several photos on his mobile phone, with some showing Kane as a puppy with intact ears and others where he had fresh wounds from the procedure, while in Kirkland's care.
When confronted with this evidence, Kirkland then claimed he thought ear cropping was legal and had been told it would make Kane less aggressive and keep him from getting into fights with other dogs.
At Airdrie Sheriff Court on Tuesday, August 30, Kirkland pled guilty to causing unnecessary suffering through failing to provide veterinary treatment for injuries caused by a prohibited procedure.
At the same court last Monday, November 7, he was slapped with a 190-hour community payback order, to be completed within 18 months.
The Scottish SPCA said that although they are pleased about the punishment, they believe Kirkland had shown a "premeditated willingness to compromise welfare for a purely cosmetic reason", so would have wanted a lengthier ban for the callous pet owner.
A special investigations unit inspector involved in the case for the animal welfare charity said: “In the UK, as ear cropping is a prohibited procedure, any operation is unlikely to be carried out with appropriate anaesthetic or pain relief.
"Kirkland has allowed this to be carried out to a defenceless young dog, undoubtedly causing significant unnecessary suffering, with no regard for the pain and discomfort this would ultimately cause Kane.
"If anyone is concerned about the welfare of an animal they can call our confidential helpline on 03000 999 999.”
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