Sam Asghari is speaking out against dog ear cropping.
Britney Spears’ model and actor ex-husband stars in a new PETA campaign urging people to stop cropping their dogs’ ears.
Asghari appears shirtless in the ad, alongside his dog Porsha, underneath a message that reads, “Listen Up, Never Crop Your Dog’s Ears.”
In a video accompanying the ad, Asghari says, “Ear cropping involves hacking off the majority of the ear, which is full of nerves and extremely sensitive, and taping up the remnant into the unnatural shape.”
The procedure, also known as otoplasty, is commonly performed on Dobermans, Great Danes, boxers, pit bulls and other breeds.
As the same time, Asghari is sending a letter to the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show calling for the event to ban dogs with cropped ears.
The 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show takes place on Jan. 31 and Feb. 2-3 in New York City.
“Five years ago, I welcomed a sweet Doberman named Porsha into my family, floppy ears and all,” he wrote in the letter, which is addressed to Kennel Club president Donald Sturz. “When presented with the option to crop her ears, I was horrified. I couldn’t imagine voluntarily putting her through excruciating pain, many long-term health risks, and the inability to fully express herself—all for the sake of ‘a look.’ I love Porsha exactly as she is.
“It saddens me to see so many dogs of the same breed with mutilated ears, which is why I’m asking you to prohibit cropped ears in the Westminster Dog Show,” he continued. “It’s impossible to justify a cosmetic procedure that causes real suffering and provides zero benefit to the dog.”
Urging Sturz to “bring this cruelty to an end,” Asghari’s letter also reads, “Westminster is one of the most influential stages in the dog world. What happens in that ring doesn’t stay there; it shapes public behavior. Allowing this inhumane practice sends the message that cropped ears are normal and even desirable. You don’t have to perpetuate this harm. Please protect dogs and celebrate them as they are by removing cropped ears from the breed standards and banning them from competition.”
