"Me taking him on as a pet would justify this cruel procedure."

After announcing plans to adopt a Doberman, reality star Joey Essex has said that he won't follow through, after learning more about the process of ear cropping. Joey had previously posted a picture of the dog, who had his ears cropped on social media, and shared that he would be his family's "newest member". However, fans were quick to alert Joey to the fact that the dog's ears had been cropped. Ear cropping is a painful and unnecessary practice in which a dog's ears are either partially or entirely removed. It is illegal in Ireland and Europe. After learning about the practice, Joey said that he has decided not to go through with the adoption process as he feels that in doing so, it would "justify" ear cropping and would send the wrong message to the people who follow him. https://www.instagram.com/p/ChX1xPEKK5m/ He told the Mail Online: "I really wanted to give the dog a home, I fell in love with him. But me taking him on as a pet would justify this cruel procedure which will give the wrong message to my fans and followers." As well as not going through with the adoption, Joey added his name to the Kept Animals Bill, which would ban the entry of dogs with cropped ears into the UK. He encouraged his followers to do the same. The Bill was introduced into the House of Commons in May of this year, and it remains at the report stage. In Ireland, the cropping of dogs' ears is illegal under the the Animal Health and Welfare Act, along with the docking of puppies' tails, and the removal of dew-claws by a lay-person. These procedures may only be carried out by vets under very specific circumstances and never for cosmetic reasons.