On July 8, an abandoned 7-week-old puppy with mutilated ears was found and taken to an animal shelter in Mesa. Officials believe that the culprit tried to crop the dog’s ears—a cruel, painful mutilation—possibly using scissors. The puppy, now named Pistol, is receiving veterinary treatment and is currently in a foster home.
Police are investigating the incident but have yet to make any arrests. That’s why PETA is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for this crime.
“Not only did this person cause the puppy excruciating pain and mutilate him by cutting his ears off with scissors, this practice is also illegal and frequently associated with dogfighting,”“Not only did this person cause the puppy excruciating pain and mutilate him by cutting his ears off with scissors, this practice is also illegal and frequently associated with dogfighting,” says PETA Vice President Colleen O’Brien. “PETA urges anyone with information about this case to come forward immediately, before anyone else gets hurt.”
As PETA notes, ear-cropping is carried out by dog fighters to remove an easy “handle” for fighting opponents to sink their teeth into and to make puppies look “tough.” It’s often done using scissors, knives, and other sharp instruments and usually followed by an agonizing process of taping and re-taping the dog’s‘ ears to force them to stand erect. The tramautic, painful procedure can have a strong psychological impact on young pups.