Foster Parent Gives Earless Pit Bull a Special Set Of “New Ears,” Moves Internet to Tears
It’s always heartwarming to see a once-abused dog get a second shot at happiness in the hands of a foster parent or a permanent adopter. A foster dog parent on TikTok has received a round of a-paws from thousands of netizens for going above and beyond to give her “earless” canine bestie a comfortable life — getting her the cutest dog snood with crocheted ears.
Thumbelina, a Pit Bull who’s as stinking cute as her name, was rescued with cropped ears. Unfortunately, the scars of the barbaric procedure she endured ran deeper — the ear cropping left her deaf (to date), and she became a victim of stereotypes because of her almost non-existent ears. With such a thoughtful gift from her loving foster parent, Thumblelina’s life truly couldn’t get any better.
People Were Scared Of Her, But Now She’s an Attention Magnet
TikTok account @ super_scooty documented the magical moment when Thumblelina’s tail wagged furiously to the rhythm of her new crocheted ears. The text layered over the viral clip says: “Some P.O.S cut my foster dog’s ears off, So I got her some ears of her own. So, people are less scared of her and assume she was used for dog fighting. She would like to know if it makes her less scary and if you would please give her pets.”
Thumblelina’s owner shows viewers the state of her foster dog’s ears, which were cut so close to her head that it almost looks like she has none. Sadly, rescue Pit Bulls with cropped ears are often deemed as vicious and “unadoptable” even though, deep down, they are the sweetest goofballs you could ever ask for.
Thumbelina appears elated to rock her store-bought crocheted ears that hide her dark past, and we can’t get over how “complete” she looks. Already, this new set of ears has everyone oohing and aahing whenever they come across sweet Thumblelina on the streets. No, we’re not crying; you are!
Watch the video below:
So far, the video has garnered a whopping 2 million-plus views, with TikTok users flooding the comment section to shower Thumblelina with love.
One user wrote: “Aaaawww, the tippy tappies and her smile. Not to be dramatic, but I’d die for her.”
Another commented: “I’m crying so hard rn she’s so beautiful.”
A third concerned user wrote: “I hope she can still hear (I don’t know if this has been said before in the video),” to which Thumblelina’s owner replied, “Sadly, she is about 98% deaf from her ears being so badly infected for so long.”
Why Pit Bulls Are Targeted in Ear Cropping More than Other Breeds
Unfortunately, Pit Bull-Type dogs are often victims of ear cropping, primarily because of their historical involvement in dog fighting.
Back then, Pit Bulls selected for dog fighting sports would have their ears cropped so they could look more intimidating in the ring (to the amusement of spectators). Today, there are inhumane Pit Bull owners who resort to cropping their pup’s ears to make them appear extra-fierce without caring about the health implications of this cruel procedure (particularly if not done by a medical professional).
Unprofessional ear cropping — as was Thumblelina’s case — only subjects dogs to unimaginable physical pain, psychological distress, and permanent health damages such as deafness caused by prolonged ear infections.