July 22, 2:50 AM

The AKC and AVMA disagree on whether ear cropping is humane.
In recent months, the American Kennel Club (AKC) and the American
Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) have been involved in a disagreement over
whether ear cropping, tail docking and other types of cosmetic surgery on dogs
should be encouraged.
AVMA toughens stance on ear crops, tail docks
In November, 2008, the AVMA executive board made a decision to strengthen
their stance opposing the cropping of ears and docking of tails as well as
other surgeries performed on pets for purely cosmetic reasons. This decision
was made amid a great deal of controversy, with the Utah Veterinary
Medical Association (UVMA) even submitting a resolution to the House of Delegates
of the AVMA asking for a more tolerant stance toward these surgical
procedures.
The resolution, also supported by the AKC, was eventually voted down by the
House of Delegates and a new position statement opposing cosmetic
surgeries such as ear cropping and tail docking was adopted by the AVMA.
AKC creates Canine Health and Welfare Advisory Panel
Following the defeat of the resolution asking for a softer stance on the
performing of cosmetic surgeries, which the AKC supported, a new panel was
created by the American Kennel Club. This 12 member panel, dubbed the AKC
Canine Health and Welfare Advisory Panel, is made up of individuals gathered
from all over the United States with a wide variety of credentials, each
bringing his/her own knowledge and experiences to the newly created panel.
According to the AKC, the purpose of the panel is to "strengthen
opportunities for the public to admire, love and own purebred dogs and to foster
greater public education about health concerns relevant to all dogs." The
panel's goal, according to a press release issued by the AKC, will be "to
provide factual and impartial information by creating a forum for proactive
discourse based on scientific and ethical concerns".
Though the AKC did not mention the recent policy debate concerning ear
cropping and tail docking in certain breeds of dogs, it seems likely that this
panel will address the issue at some point in the near future.