A dog breeder who claimed to have sold animals to celebrities has been convicted of animal welfare offences for cropping dogs' ears. Eugene Vatsaloo, 57, was found guilty of 13 offences following a five-day trial at Cardiff Crown Court.
Social media popularity
Vatsaloo, who operated under the kennel name Prizebullz Kennels, was attracting millions of views on social media for his activities related to breeding and selling dogs. He claimed to have sold a dog without cropped ears to the Kardashians.
The RSPCA took the case to court after a witness bought a puppy from Vatsaloo with cropped ears. Ear-cropping is an illegal procedure in which the ear is cut or clipped.
Investigation and evidence
Paperwork from another RSPCA investigation into ear-cropping also linked to Vatsaloo, and he was linked to bully breeders all over the world. His social media activity revealed how he had been arranging for puppies to have their ears cropped for a period of at least two years.
Research led by the RSPCA's field investigations team highlighted at least 13 dogs bred by Vatsaloo who remained in his care and had been cropped. RSPCA officers joined South Wales Police as they executed a warrant at Vatsaloo's Tonyrefail home in May 2024. Parts of the property matched with images from his social media posts showing the dogs in his care after being cropped.
Court statements
Speaking at the end of the trial, lead investigator Caroline Richardson said: "In court Vatsaloo's representatives talked openly about his popularity on social media. Vatsaloo said he had 415,000 followers, including A-listers such as Snoop Dogg, and that some of his posts attracted millions of views. He also boasted about having sold an uncropped dog to the Kardashians."
Inspector Richardson added: "When we went into Vatsaloo's property we found no puppies, no paraphernalia, no paperwork, and no Vatsaloo. But we knew there was still a case to answer – it was a case built entirely on social media. Social media – a platform where Vatsaloo actively posted about cropped dogs for all to see – ultimately proved to be his downfall."
She said: "I hope our investigation has prevented many other puppies having to go through the horrific ordeal of having their ears cropped; a procedure which is often carried out without anaesthetic or pain-relief, and can leave dogs with lifelong health and behavioural problems. And we'd urge anyone looking to buy a puppy never to buy a dog from a breeder who advertises or glorifies this hideous process and to report any evidence of cropping on social media to online moderators and the RSPCA."
Vatsaloo, of Old Llantrisant Road, Tonyrefail, Rhondda Cynon Taf, was found guilty of all 13 offences, for cropping the ears of pocket bullies 2Pac, Tank/Reggie, Remi, Ice, Mimi, Allyah, Vortex, Shaolin, Ruby, Coco, and three unnamed dogs. He will appear back at Cardiff Crown Court on November 24 for sentencing.
