2023-12-28 07:09:41
(REFERENCE IMAGE) / Many people consider this practice to be animal abuse and demand its prohibition.
Photo: Freepik
The trend of performing cosmetic surgery on pets to round their ears and make them resemble those of Disney’s star mouse, Mickey Mouse, is causing controversy these days in China, where many consider it to be animal abuse and demand its prohibition.
A special price is now circulating for this type of procedure, just for the Chinese Spring Festival. So for a price of 300 yuan ($42), a veterinary clinic in the city of Chongqing, for example, offers group services to perform “Mickey ears” surgery for pets, the newspaper explains. South China Morning Post (SCMP).
The offer illustrates a trend that has raised the ire of animal defenders and experts in this field, who demand that this type of intervention be vetoed, since this practice causes physical pain and great psychological distress, according to what which explains SCMP.
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The operation, currently legal in China, consists of two phases: the first lasts half an hour, is performed under anesthesia and consists of surgically trimming the animal’s ears to round them, while the second consists of combing, that is, “styling.” the shape of this part of the body so that the auditory appendage remains upright. The head of the Loving Care International veterinary center in Beijing, Liu Yudong, explained that the second phase lasts between 20 and 60 days and requires “frequent adjustments” to ensure that the ears remain straight.
Despite having become a fad, Liu said the procedure is rarely practiced in certified veterinary clinics in larger cities, although it is practiced in breeders. “It is rarely performed in pet hospitals in first-tier cities, but is common in kennels and dog breeding facilities. Currently, there are no legal restrictions for this surgery in China,” Liu said.
“It is a moral issue,” concluded the veterinarian, who assured that both he and his colleagues are categorically opposed to this type of surgery because the primary obligation in their profession is to work for animal welfare. “As veterinarians, we adhere to the principle of animal welfare and do not advocate these surgeries. The colleagues I have met are tacitly opposed to this type of surgery,” he added.
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Several doctors also warned regarding the impact of this practice on the physical and mental health of pets, from the risks of anesthesia to the possibility of animals developing self-harming behavior due to pain, warned Chen Young, from the veterinary hospital. Lianhe of the southeastern city of Shenzhen.
“Damaging the natural structure of the ears can cause psychogenic problems in some pets. For example, some sensitive pets may scratch repeatedly due to excessive pain,” Young said.
The emerging trend has received significant online backlash from many Chinese pet lovers. “Cutting tails, cropping ears: are these pet owners sick? Where does this market demand come from?” asked one person. “If you think it’s cute, you should try cutting your ears like this,” added another. “This is animal abuse, not love,” commented a third.
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