‘Mickey ears’ popularity soars among China pet owners despite concerns over painful, risky cosmetic procedures inflicted on beloved fur babies
- Animal experts say practice must cease, has damaging effect
- Procedure could have side effects such as self-mutilation
Pets having cosmetic surgery to achieve “Mickey ears” so they can look like Disney’s famous cartoon mouse, is an increasingly worrying trend in China.
Leading animal experts are demanding the practice be stopped because of the physical pain and psychological distress it inflicts.
One advertisement for a pet clinic in the Beibei district of Chongqing in southwestern China, promoting a “Mickey ear” group purchase, has attracted significant attention.
It says its special offer of 300 yuan (US$40) for the procedure to be performed by Chinese Spring Festival, will depend on the “factory’s” apparent “production schedule”.
Liu Yundong, a dean at Loving Care International Pet Medical Centre in Beijing, explained to the Post that the procedure comprises two parts.
First, the surgical removal process, which requires anaesthetic and takes about half an hour. The second styling phase involves shaping the ears to stay upright, which can take from 20 to 60 days.
This stage takes a bit longer requiring frequent adjustments to ensure the pets’ ears remain in an upright position permanently.
Although it is legal to carry out the procedure, reputable big city animal hospitals seldom perform this type of surgery on pets.
“It is rarely performed in pet hospitals in tier-one cities but is common in dog kennels and breeding facilities. Currently, there are no legal restrictions on this surgery in China. It’s a moral issue,” Liu said.
“As veterinarians, we adhere to the principle of animal welfare and do not advocate these surgeries. The colleagues I’ve encountered are tacitly opposed to such surgeries.”
He emphasised that the surgery’s impact on pets includes physical pain and psychological torment, along with the risks of having anaesthesia, which could lead to psychological trauma as well as physical side effects.
Chen Yong, a veterinarian from Shenzhen Lianhe Pet Hospital, warned the procedure could also lead to self-mutilation behaviour among pets.
“Damaging the natural structure of the ears can cause psychogenic problems in some pets. For instance, some sensitive pets may scratch repeatedly due to excessive pain,” he said.
The emerging trend has received significant online backlash from many Chinese pet lovers.
“Cutting tails, cutting ears – are these pet owners sick? Where does this market demand even come from?” Asked one person.
“If they think it’s cute, they should try cutting their own ears like that,” another added.
“This is animal abuse, not love,” a third remarked.
