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<p>The practice of non-exempted mutilations such as cropping dogs' ears is abhorrent
and has rightly been banned in the UK for 15 years.</p><p>Importers of animals must
adhere to welfare standards on the protection of animals during transport as set out
in Council Regulation (EC) 1/2005 and in domestic legislation, The Welfare of Animals
(Transport) (England) Order 2006 (WATEO). This legislation aims to protect the health
and welfare of animals during transportation and applies to dogs that are suffering
injury as a result of non-exempted mutilations including cropped ears.</p><p>The Animal
Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill was introduced in Parliament on 8 June 2021 and will progress
through Parliament when parliamentary time allows. The Bill allows us to protect the
welfare of pets by introducing restrictions to crack down on the low welfare movements
of pets into Great Britain and includes powers to introduce new restrictions on pet
travel and on the commercial import of pets on welfare grounds, via secondary legislation.</p><p>In
August 2021, the Government launched an eight-week consultation on our proposed restrictions
to the commercial and non-commercial movement of pets into Great Britain. This included
proposals to ban the commercial and non-commercial movement into Great Britain of
dogs which have been subjected to low welfare practices such as ear cropping or tail
docking. We are currently analysing the responses to the consultation and will publish
a summary in due course. This will allow us to take on board the views of the public
and interested groups in order to shape our future policy.</p><p> </p>
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