Sticking My Neck Out

August 2nd, 2016

I've been debating about writing this blog because I suspect I'm going to piss off  upset a few people but, you know, when it's a valid point, it's okay to speak your mind.  It's good to draw attention to some things.  This is a topic I feel very strongly about.

So, I'll begin this blog by saying that since we started our journey, We've had people stop us on the sidewalk to pet Zuma, cross a busy street to talk with us, even yell from their cars to say:  "Thank you for not cropping your dog's ears."  It blows me away.  I had no idea the general public could be so outspoken.  I love it.

When people express an opinion about ear cropping, 100% volunteer that they are appalled that it is still being done.  USA, catch up.

I'm absolutely stunned by the verbal output from total strangers, so now, after 7 months of public comments, I feel I have to say something.  Sorry, ear-croppers, it's just unfashionable.  Hooray England, it is banned in the UK and most of Europe and all of Australia.  I thank God Zuma didn't have her ears cropped.

OMG my friends are thinking, here she goes on one of her "crusades", well, it has to be said.  Thank you dear friends, you feel the same way and you've said it too.  I try to be polite and politically correct but .... ear cropping is simply unnecessary.  And if I am stepping on toes, I apologize (sort of) but at least I'm not stepping on your highly sensitive ears.  If an elective surgery causes any animal pain "in the name of fashion", I'm totally opposed to it.  

I'm not going to ramble on about the excruciating pain these innocent puppies endure in the name of "breed standard", nor will I blabber about how the puppies wake up from the anesthesia shaking their heads in agony, about the ridiculous head sets they have to endure, the taping, the potential infections and then they sometimes end up with nerve damage and the ears don't stand up as "breed standard" suggests.

To hell with breed standard.  

Bred for boar hunting by the Germans (not the Danish), the Great Dane is a fast, willing hunter and the ears were originally cropped to prevent injury from a boar's fierce tusks.  But we don't seem to have an overpopulation of boars these days so WHY put your dog, your beloved companion through such a horrific, painful surgery? 
I am shocked that veterinarians continue to conduct such practices. 

Okay, I'm gonna shaddup now.  I've had my say.  I strongly oppose ear cropping.  I signed up for a petition (I was going to start one but there are hundreds of petitions to "stop the crop" already in motion) to ban ear cropping.  There are multiple petitions on line.  

I love Zuma's Scooby Doo ears.  And so do other people.