Ear cropping in UK

Just to satisfy my curiosity - it's often been said that ear cropping has been banned for something like 100 years in the UK. Pre 6 April 2007 I can't find any law banning it.

What I've read somewhere is that Queen Victoria disliked the cropped ears on her dogs (pugs I think) and after she made her displeasure known the Kennel Club banned cropped eared dogs from being exhibited.

Anybody know different?

Hmmm ... I've been out of the UK for most of the time for some 7 yrs now but I thought this was a quite 'recent' ban?

*after a very quick look I see that it was banned by KC a very long while ago but maybe that doesn't mean it was 'illegal' since then?

**still looking and found this so far ...

Still looking re the ear cropping. I find the pics of the dogs bandaged up quite distressing. And some of them don't look 'neat' afterwards either. Ragged edges etc.

I always thought the ear crop was to make dogs look 'meaner'. Because, to me, it does have that effect.

I know that a lot of people import Presa's from Spain that have cropped ears - many because it is illegal to do here. But I can't find any law about it either. Maybe we should stay shhhhh and hope they don't realise

I don't think that the Kennel Club can make laws, they can ban dogs from participating at their licensed shows etc....

Azz - I've seen young rotweilers and dobermanns with docked tails, even met a Bully Kutta with badly cropped ears. And of course there are pitbulls around so laws not being enforced.

I wonder if anybody will find the answer to my question though or whether I'll die wondering...lol.

Muddy I am reading EVERYWHERE that it is banned in UK. But I want to find an OFFICIAL link. Not just answers on dog related websites or those with an axe to grind like stopthedock or waddever.

The tails - no problem. Seems clear that is illegal. I'm with AZZ on this stay schtum until we can find out!

I don't think it is illegal to own a dog with cropped ears. Breeders bring dogs from countries where cropping is allowed, they can be registered with KC for breeding purposes but not exhibited or participate in KC licence events....as in my previous post.

No it won't be illegal to OWN one - it's a question of whether it is illegal to have it done.

I'm sure any ban on these practices put a lot of people who made money from it out of work.

I don't feel sorry for them. Imagine having a job where you mutilate animals all day long?

I'm sure that ear cropping is now illegal under the same act as tail docking but I want to go further back. And I can't find anything except forums discusions.

Not sure if its illegal, but I would imagine it would be difficult to find a vet to do it

Chatted to my vet nurse about this as far as she is aware the vets have agreed amongst them selves not to crop so no need for an actual law, any vet going against the ban would be up against a lot of opposition and possibly struck off.

But she said they are unaware of any law about cropping.

Cannot find anything on the internet about laws banning yet either.