Vet Calls Out Taylor Swift After Noticing The Dog Featured In Her Music Video With Post Malone
Was she wrong to feature a Doberman with its ears cropped?
A.PAES / Shutterstock Like any celebrity, Taylor Swift receives her fair share of criticism. Usually, this criticism comes from haters who aren’t meant to be taken all that seriously.
This time, however, Swift has been called out by an animal expert who took issue with her treatment and presentation of animals, both professionally and personally.
A veterinarian called out Taylor Swift for her treatment of animals.
Dr. Sean McCormack is a veterinarian who frequently speaks up for animal rights on social media. Recently, this has included criticizing one of the world’s biggest pop stars, Taylor Swift.
“Okay, I’m going to get a lot of heat from the Swifties on this one, but it needs to be said,” he admitted in a video.
No one can deny McCormack’s bravery in taking on one of the fiercest fan bases in music today.
“Taylor Swift and Post Malone have come out with their new video yesterday, and it features a Doberman dog,” he continued, referring to the music video for “Fortnight,” the first single from Swift’s latest album, "The Tortured Poets Department."
“Not just any Doberman,” he clarified, “But one that has been surgically enhanced. Its ears have been cropped; its tail has been docked. It’s got 21 million views in a day.”
The view count now stands at almost 34 million.
McCormack went on to explain exactly what was wrong with showing a Doberman in this state. “What is ear cropping? Ear cropping is removal of parts of the ear to make them stick upright, make the dog look tougher,” he said. “This is a fashion trend. It serves the dog no benefit.”
Ear cropping is indeed a dangerous trend for dogs.
McCormack was correct to condemn ear cropping as bad for dogs. According to Dogs Naturally Magazine, “There are no substantial health benefits associated with cropping a dog’s ears.”
Dogs Naturally also pointed out, “Ear cropping is a painful surgery that requires anesthesia. Recovery can be uncomfortable and leads to a period of itchiness as the ears heal. Some dogs may show signs of pain, such as whimpering, restlessness, or lack of appetite.”
Due to the cruel nature of ear cropping, some countries have made it illegal. However, it is still legal in the United States.
The Doberman wasn’t the only issue McCormack had with Swift’s treatment of animals.
In his video, McCormack went on to say, “Now, it’s not the first time that Taylor Swift has been problematic when it comes to animal welfare because Taylor Swift keeps and showcases her Scottish Fold cats.”
“Scottish Fold cats suffer with a disease, a genetic mutation, causing the cartilage to be deformed,” he explained. “It’s called OCD, osteochondrodysplasia. It affects all of the cats, and it leads to crippling, painful arthritis.”
McCormack asked why someone with such a large audience would only do so much to inform others of such issues. “Now, Taylor Swift has a huge platform, and she could be speaking out on this welfare problem that all the welfare organizations are,” he said. “These animals are not fashion accessories, and she could do better.”
It’s clear that Swift could be doing more in her animal activism, especially as a pet owner. However, it’s unclear how much Swift knew about the Doberman in the music video. She likely did not handpick it, and she, like many others, may not know what ear cropping is.
Before criticizing someone, it’s always best to give them the benefit of the doubt. Everyone makes unintentional mistakes. Until evidence proves otherwise, we can assume this is one of those situations.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer for YourTango who covers entertainment, news, and human interest topics.