People in Bermuda will no longer be able to get their dog's ears cropped legally on the Island after vets unanimously agreed it was unethical and unnecessary.

The vets have introduced an unofficial policy as of this month that they will not carry out operations removing the tips of any dog's ears.

There was only one vet, George Patrick Heslop, who had been carrying out the surgery at the request of owners.

But with growing problems on the Island regarding dog fighting and animal cruelty, he has agreed to join the others in putting a stop to it.

Dr. Andrew Madeiros, Chairman of the Bermuda Veterinary Association and Chairman of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), said the new policy should act as a warning to dog owners.

He said people will now have to take their pets overseas to get their ears cropped legally.

And he said anyone found to have had the surgery done from now on and who cannot prove the work was done legally overseas may be investigated for cruelty.

The Royal Gazette has learned that a number of dogs on the Island have "back yard ear cropping'', whereby a novice or unauthorised person carries out the operation without the use of anaesthetic, often just holding the dogs down.

The new policy will make it easier for animal welfare officers to prove cruelty has been involved.

Dr. Madeiros said: "From now on, no vets will be cropping ears. There is no law saying it cannot be done, but between us we have agreed a policy where we have banned it.

"In the past, Dr. Heslop seemed quite happy about, but the rest of us were not comfortable and we felt it was creating a lot of problems.

"We have all had a meeting, including Dr. Heslop, and decided on this policy.

It is a major breakthrough.

"We know that historically people have had their dog's ears cropped for a variety of reasons, not just for dog fighting, but it really is unethical and unnecessary, and it is a very unpleasant process for the dogs to go through, particularly for little puppies.'' Many dogs on the Island, especially Pitbull and Pitbull crosses, have their ears cropped.

Some owners think it looks neater and more ferocious than floppy ears, others do it because they wish to use their dogs for fighting.

They believe long ears can be bitten and chewed during a fight, causing problems for the dogs and large medical bills.

Dr. Madeiros said it would not stop dog fighting, but said it put problems in the way of owners wanting to crop ears and would hopefully reduce the number of animals suffering unnecessarily.

Government vet Dr. Jonathan Nisbett welcomed the move and said ear cropping was cosmetic and did not benefit the dog at all.

And he promised anyone found subjecting their dogs to back yard cropping would face cruelty charges.

He added: "This will not stop ear cropping altogether because we see many dogs that look like they have had back yard ear cropping, where they are held and tied down and their ears simply cut off.

"However, I think this policy will enable us to monitor it more and will mean some owners do not bother having it done at all.

"Even when a vet carries out the surgery properly under anaesthetic, it is still uncomfortable for the dogs. When it is done by people other than the professionals, it must be very painful. It definitely constitutes cruelty.'' And Charles Whited, SPCA Inspector, said the policy was long overdue.

He added: "All but one of the vets on the Island had ceased carrying out these operations a long time ago and I think it was just a matter of time before he was approached and asked not to do it.

"Ear cropping is of no use to the dogs, so we are very happy that this blanket policy has been introduced.'' Dr. Heslop was not available for comment last night.