ANDREW KIRKLAND FROM AIRDRIE RECEIVES 12-MONTH BAN AFTER ILLEGAL EAR CROPPING OF AMERICAN BULLY PUP IN SCOTLAND

Andrew Dean Kirkland, born in July 1990 and residing at Thornlea Gardens in Airdrie, has been convicted of causing unnecessary suffering to a young American Bully puppy named Kane through an illegal procedure. The incident took place in Airdrie, where Kirkland, who is a company director of Cranium Ink Ltd, admitted to the authorities that he had cropped Kane’s ears without proper veterinary care or anesthesia.

Despite the procedure being prohibited under UK law, Kirkland received only a 12-month ban from owning, keeping, or working with animals. This penalty was handed down after he pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary pain and suffering by failing to provide appropriate veterinary treatment for injuries resulting from the illegal ear cropping.

Evidence presented during the investigation included social media images that clearly showed Kane’s ears had been mutilated while in Kirkland’s care. The images depicted the puppy, who was between five and six months old at the time, with significant portions of his ears surgically removed. The Scottish SPCA’s special investigations unit, which was involved in the case, responded to a premises in Airdrie on April 30, 2021, where they found Kane with his ears already cropped.

Concerned for the puppy’s welfare, the inspectors immediately removed Kane from the property and took him to a veterinary clinic for examination. The vet confirmed that the ear cropping had occurred more than three weeks prior to the inspection. The injuries showed that three-quarters of both ear flaps had been removed, with sutures and dimples on either side of the wounds indicating recent surgical intervention.

The investigation revealed that the procedure would have caused Kane considerable pain and discomfort, primarily for cosmetic reasons. Initially, Kirkland attempted to deny responsibility, claiming that Kane had been imported from Bulgaria with already cropped ears. However, investigators found multiple photographs on Kirkland’s mobile phone showing Kane as a puppy with natural ears, as well as images of fresh wounds from the cropping procedure while the dog was in his care.

When confronted with this evidence, Kirkland stated that he believed ear cropping was legal and that he had been told it would make his dog less aggressive and prevent fighting with other dogs. The investigators pointed out that ear cropping is illegal in the UK, and such procedures are rarely performed with proper anesthesia or pain relief, especially on defenseless young animals. Kirkland’s actions demonstrated a blatant disregard for Kane’s welfare, inflicting unnecessary suffering for cosmetic reasons.

The court acknowledged the severity of the case, and Kirkland was sentenced to a 190-hour Community Payback Order along with the 12-month ban on owning or working with animals. Animal welfare advocates expressed their disappointment that the ban was relatively short, given the premeditated nature of Kirkland’s actions and his willingness to prioritize appearance over the well-being of his dog.