Salt Lake County Animal Services sees increase in pit bulls with their ears cut off

SALT LAKE CITY — The Salt Lake County Animal Services "Pit Crew" has reported an increase in pit bull-type dogs arriving at the shelter with their ears cut off.

According to a news release from Best Friends Animal Society, which partners with Salt Lake County Animal Services, the dog ears apparently have been cut off by their previous owners using scissors, knives or other sharp objects. Pit bulls' ears often are cropped for perceived cosmetic reasons, or to prevent them from being torn off in a fight.

There are four dogs at the shelter and one in foster care whose ears clearly were cut off by a person other than a licensed veterinarian, according to the release. Several days ago, the shelter received a stray 3-month-old puppy, who they named Phoenix, with fresh wounds from his badly chopped ears.

Jordan, a 2-year-old red pit bull, also arrived at the shelter in terrible shape, the release said. Not only had his ears been cut almost down to his skull, but he also had open wounds on his body and had been shot from head to toe with a paint gun. (Jordan was scheduled to leave Friday morning to go live at the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in southern Utah.)

Home ear cropping is believed to be an excruciatingly painful practice that is done without anesthesia, antibiotics or post-operative pain medication, the release said. A person accused of doing this could face a variety of charges.

The American Veterinary Medical Association previously issued a statement in 2008 opposing ear cropping for cosmetic reasons, even if performed by a veterinarian.

For more information, go to www.slcoanimalservices.org or www.bestfriends.org.