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Strictly's Nicola Adams Faces Backlash For Owning Bulldog With 'Mutilated' Ears

Aneira Davies

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Strictly's Nicola Adams Faces Backlash For Owning Bulldog With 'Mutilated' Ears

Featured Image Credit: BBC

Strictly Come Dancing's Nicola Adams is facing a backlash for owning an American bulldog with cropped ears.

The former professional boxer, who appeared in the 2020 series of Strictly, and her girlfriend Ella Baig, 23, welcomed their dog Brooklyn into their home in 2019, and fans are outraged that the dog has been subjected to ear-cropping.

Nicola and Brooklyn (Credit: Instagram)
Nicola and Brooklyn (Credit: Instagram)

Ear-cropping is a painful procedure that involves cutting off the majority of a dog's ears and taping them into an unnatural shape. it is illegal in the UK, unless it is done for medical reasons, though animal charities have reported increased numbers of dogs with their ears cropped.

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A spokesperson for the RSPCA told Tyla that ear-cropping "can cause life-long health and behaviour problems."

The animal welfare charity said that they were seeing a large number of dogs being imported from abroad after having had their ears cropped and are now calling for a ban on the importation of cropped dogs.

They added: "There's a growing trend for cropped dogs among some celebrities and sadly we're seeing more and more dogs with cropped ears on social media and advertising too.

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"Celebrities have a responsibility to set a good example to their fans. We fear the cropped look is being normalised and even glamorised, particularly among certain breeds."

PETA's director Elisa Allen told the MailOnline that she hoped the celebrity would speak out on this issue.

She said: "While it is likely the breeder who was responsible - not Nicola - PETA urges her to speak out against this cruel practice on social media.

"To let her fans know she doesn't endorse ear-cropping, a painful mutilation that involves cutting off the majority of a dog's extremely sensitive ears and taping the remnants into an unnatural shape for aesthetic reasons.

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"Dogs "talk" to their human companions and other dogs with their ears, so hacking them off not only is traumatic but also robs them of a vital means of expression and communication as well as a way of maintaining balance."

Credit: Instagram
Credit: Instagram

PETA adds that reports have indicated an alarming increase in the number of dogs with cropped ears in the UK.

"For this reason, PETA supports a ban on the importation of dogs with cropped ears, which would send a strong message to breeders and the public that maiming dogs for vanity is unacceptable. Dogs love humans regardless of the way we look - we should extend the same kindness to them."

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Meanwhile a spokesperson for the boxer told Tyla that Nicola had bought the dog when she was living in the US and its ears had "already been cropped when it arrived from the breeder".

He added: "She would never have chosen to put her dog through any unnecessary procedure."

Fans have called the act "barbaric" and "disgusting".

Topics: Entertainment, Celebrity

Aneira Davies
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