You won't believe your ears...

Until now, dogs with cropped ears could be imported to the UK. And this loophole allowed the cruel, illegal practice of ear cropping to continue here – the new law will help stop that.

And that’s not all. It will also stop people smuggling puppies, kittens and pregnant animals into the UK in poor health and unsafe conditions.

This is a huge step forward. Countless animals will now be protected from painful procedures and suffering because we spoke up, for them.

Thank you for being by our side, every step of the way.

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What is the Imports Bill?

The Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill, or the Imports Bill for short, is about to become law. Over 18,000 of our supporters asked their MP to back the bill. We reached every MP in the country, and made it clear this issue really matters.

The new law will help stop the import of dogs with cropped ears. It will also help tackle puppy and kitten smuggling, and the import of animals that are about to give birth.  

Why this matters?

The Imports Bill has the power to change the lives of dogs and cats in a number of ways.

Tackling Harmful Trends

Ear cropping has been illegal in the UK for nearly 20 years, but the import of dogs with cropped ears isn’t. The Imports Bill will remove the smokescreen that allows the cruel practice to continue. The Bill can help stop the import of animals with mutilations, including dogs with cropped ears and cats that have been declawed, so fewer animals are put through these cruel procedures.

Find out more

Preventing poor breeding practices

The bill will reduce the number of animals brought into the UK in poor conditions, including puppies, kittens and animals about to give birth.

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Wrinkly dog looking sad

Fudge's Story

Fudge came in as a stray with cropped ears. Her Romanian-registered chip suggested that the brutal procedure was done to her before she was imported into the UK.

Read her story

Ear Cropping Explained

Ear cropping is often done to dogs without any pain relief or anaesthetic. And in most cases, with a standard knife or blade.

People may want dogs with cropped ears to look 'powerful’, but the impact on dogs goes beyond how they look.

Thank you to Dr Danny Chambers MP and Lord Trees for sponsoring this bill through Parliament. 

  • Dr Neil Hudson MP
  • Aphra Brandreth MP
  • Bob Blackman MP
  • Cat Eccles MP
  • Claire Young MP
  • Daniel Zeichner MP
  • Emma Foody MP
  • Irene Campbell MP
  • Johanna Baxter MP
  • Kanishka Narayan MP
  • Louie French MP
  • Mary Creagh MP
  • Michelle Scrogham MP
  • Paul Davies MP
  • Rebecca Paul MP
  • Ruth Jones MP
  • Sadik Al-Hassan MP
  • Sarah Champion MP
  • Vikki Slade MP