A puppy was dropped off at the Hollister Animal Shelter on
Wednesday morning after its ears had been cut off. Ear cropping is
the cutting off of the floppy part of the ear. The procedure is
done on some types of dogs for showing purposes, but in this case,
since the dog was part pit bull, the prior owner likely did this to
make him look more intimidating.
HOLLISTER
A puppy was dropped off at the Hollister Animal Shelter on Wednesday morning after its ears had been cut off. A Monterey-based animal cruelty spokeswoman said that it is difficult to say exactly why this was done and she hopes someone in the public comes forward with more information.
“We can guess but we’ll never really know until someone comes forward,” said Beth Brookhouser, director of community outreach with the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for Monterey County.
The Hollister Animal Shelter transferred the dog to the Monterey County cruelty prevention group last week after his arrival. Hollister animal control officials could not be reached before publication.
“Oliver” – the name the SPCA for Monterey County has given the 3-month-old dog – is “doing very well,” Brookhouser said. She added that he is playful and since his arrival, his tail hasn’t stopped wagging.
However, Brookhouser said that if someone reaches for his ears, Oliver will yelp. “There were raw wounds, less than a week old (when he arrived) and very crude – probably done with a pair of scissors with no anesthesia,” she said.
The SPCA for Monterey County has offered a $1,000 reward for information about the person or persons responsible for this act against Oliver. Brookhouser said that all calls are confidential and all officers that work for SPCA are sworn officers, dedicated to investigating all cruelty complaints.
Ear cropping is basically cutting off the floppy part of the ear, Brookhouser said. The procedure is done for some types of dogs for showing purposes, including Great Danes and Dobermans, to make the ears stand upright.
“He is part pit bull, and some owners do this to have animals look more mean,” she said.
The procedure is starting to gain more controversy, Brookhouser said. She added that it is illegal in some countries and it is harder to find a veterinarian that will do it.
This dog has been getting national attention. Brookhouser said that the SPCA for Monterey County has been receiving calls from as far as Maine and Hawaii.
“He is a very sweet puppy and we are hoping that someone comes forward with information,” she said. “This is something that shouldn’t be done with a puppy.”
If you have information regarding Oliver, you can call the SPCA at (831) 373-2631 or 422-4721 extension 213 or use SPCA’s online reporting form. The Web site is www.spcamc.org/index.html. All calls are completely confidential.
You can also confidentially report information regarding Oliver to the Hollister Police Department through the WeTip hotline, 1-800-78-CRIME.
