'Really friendly' dog whose ears were illegally cropped is ready for a new home after being seized from Wigan house

Riga, a bull-type dog, was left to suffer for several days after his owner Jamie Evans allowed the illegal practice to be carried out and then failed to seek veterinary care.

He was seized from a property in Wigan in April 2021 and taken into RSPCA care, before being moved to the charity’s Felledge Animal Centre in County Durham last autumn, where he has been receiving treatment and care ever since.

Staff at the centre say Riga has made great progress and is a happy and loving dog, despite the ordeal he has been through.

Luka Atkinson, deputy centre manager, said: “He’s a really friendly boy and seems to be completely unaffected by the trauma and suffering he endured at such an early age.

“Even though he’s missing large parts of both ears, it doesn’t impede him and he’s got quite an infectious zest for life. He’s excellent with other dogs too and has made friends with several canine companions since he’s been here.

“Riga now weighs nearly 30kg (66lb), so ideally we’re looking for a home with people who’ve had experience of medium to large-size dogs before and are familiar with bully breeds. He could possibly live with another dog, subject to sensible introductions, and he would also be okay to live with secondary-age children.

“We’d love to hear from anyone who might be interested in offering this wonderful boy a new home.”

The vet who examined Riga at the time said the illegal procedure would have caused him pain and irritation for at least five days, possibly longer, and that in the absence of any evidence indicating why he had needed his ears cropped for medical reasons, it could be assumed it had been done for cosmetic reasons.

Evans, 30, of no fixed address, was jailed for 23 weeks in May and given a 15-year ban on keeping animals after admitting allowing Riga’s ears to be illegally cropped.

The RSPCA is highlighting Riga’s story as part of its Mutilated For Money campaign, which highlights the cruelty dogs go through during the procedure to crop their ears.

The Government had pledged to ban the import of dogs with cropped ears as part of its Kept Animals Bill, but it was scrapped last month, prompting the RSPCA to urge ministers to find a viable alternative plan to ban it as soon as possible.

Last year, the RSPCA received 391 reports about ear-cropped dogs.

RSPCA inspector Emma Dingley, who investigated the case, said: “It’s wonderful to see Riga looking so happy and ready to start this next phase of his life, and that’s testament to the many months of care and rehabilitation he’s received by the staff at Felledge.

“Ear cropping is a horrific practice which has absolutely no benefits for dogs like Riga and can cause them life-long health, behavioural and social problems. It’s done purely for cosmetic purposes and sadly can lead to puppies being sold for much more money. We’d urge the public and anyone looking to buy a puppy to remember that this is an illegal procedure which has hugely negative impacts for the dogs themselves.”