Show Dogs

The picture captioned “Price of beauty” of the bandaged head of a dog (Part I, Nov. 16) is all revealing. In many years of conducting medical research on animals, I have never seen such a pathetically sad and uselessly suffering visage as that of the 8-week-old boxer puppy that “just got ears cropped for a career as show dog.”

At a time when animal supporters are intensively campaigning against the use of animals for testing medicines and devices, I find it revoltingly paradoxical that animals are being cruelly mutilated for profit. I would have some respect for these anti-vivisection activists and animal-rights proponents if, instead of misdirecting their campaigns against medical research that benefits humanity at large, they would direct their efforts to avoid animal suffering inflicted for the sake of lucre.

J.G. LLAURADO, M.D.

Loma Linda