Joey Essex has returned the Dobermann puppy he purchased after being slammed by an animal charity.
Former The Only Way Is Essex star Joey, 32, recently introduced his new pup to his Instagram followers with a snap of the pooch, with the caption: "Newest member".
However, fans were quick to point out that the dog appeared to have cropped ears as the Dobermann's ears were sticking up rather than flopping down – a hallmark of ear cropping which is illegal in the UK.
He later deleted the Instagram snap of the pup.
Joey has since said he was "horrified" by the discovery and has decided against keeping the dog to show he doesn't condone the act of ear cropping.
Ear cropping is deemed cruel as it is often carried out without anaesthetic and is purely for cosmetic purposes to make them look fiercer.
Reality star Joey said: "I really wanted to give the dog a home, I fell in love with him."
He added to the Mail Online: "But me taking him on as a pet would justify this cruel procedure, which will give the wrong message to my fans and followers. I'm an animal lover."
It comes after Joey was slammed by animal welfare experts.
Animal welfare campaigner Jordan Shelley fumed: "Joey Essex is another idiot celebrity normalising ear cropping, an illegal, abhorrent mutilation, to his many followers. When will these halfwits learn?"
He added to the Mirror: "Also when will the Government find the time to make the Kept Animals Bill law so enforcement can clamp down on this disgusting behaviour?
"The longer they take, the more dogs lose their ears and the more normalisation there is of this horrific trend."
TV vet Dr Sean McCormack agreed. He said: "Joey Essex is a public figure with lots of influence who has previously worked with Battersea to highlight the plight of dogs in shelters needing homes.
"When it was brought to his attention a year or so ago that he was congratulating another celeb for importing a cropped or mutilated dog from abroad to get around the fact it is illegal in the UK on welfare grounds, he was at pains to condemn the cruel practice and say he was an absolute dog welfare advocate."
While, animal lover Emily Spratt said: "It should be made very, very clear that having cropped ears is something that is absolutely not right. Especially by someone who is very much in the public eye."
Meanwhile, Love Island star Olivia Attwood also weighed in as she posted a photo of a dog with cropped ears and one without which had the words "ear cropping is a painful and illegal mutilation" on.
She wrote on the post: "Just a reminder.
"and in most cases done without pain relief.. can you actually imagine. All for a fashion statement".
When the Mirror contacted Joey's agent for comment, they insisted that the "dog is not Joey’s and we therefore do not wish to make any comment on your story".
