Docking, How could you! :(

I have just been looking through this site in depth and was shocked to find a recommended breeder advertising his so call perfect miniature pinchers. With their sensitive ears hacked off. Why would Pet Peoples Place allow this? I know many of the members on this site are from the states. Is it still legal in the USA? and if so, WHY! I am English and ear or tail docking is illegal here. I have seen Doberman, boxer's and other breeds from the USA on TV and in books with this barbaric 'ear hacked off' look. But I had no idea it was still going on there. WHY! Ear cropping is a painful, disfiguring process for dogs, it is a senseless surgery. Ear cropping and tail docking in dogs for cosmetic reasons are neither medically indicated nor of benefit to the patient. These procedures are accompanied by inherent risks of anesthesia, blood loss, and infection. Ear cropping is a cruel process that has to be stopped! It is ridiculous to perform medically unnecessary ear cropping procedures that simply perpetuate the image that dogs are fashion accessories. Many dogs have gone absolutely head crazy and developed lifelong seizures, or an instant awareness to touches after ear cropping. In the forced 21st century, ear cropping of dogs is no longer necessary and is at the present a matter of human ego status seeking. If ears are too large, too heavy, too inadequately placed on a head, it should not suffice to be able to just crop ears half off and then state, "Now we have a show dog. Oh, how exclusive!"

My boxer had her tail docked when she was a few days old - my family hadn't got her by then. Apparently, it doesn't cause pain and I can certainly imagine what it would be like if she hadn't had her tail docked - she's always wagging it (and the rest of her body) and she'd probably break a few lamps!

It is still legal in the USA b/c it does not cause them any pain. When they are a few days old they are pasically num all over so they don't feel a thing when you dock their tails & they are under an anesthetic when you get their ears cliped.