Dog’s ears hacked off with scissors with new home being found for injured puppy

A man has admitted animal cruelty to police after a puppy was found with its ears hacked off.

Memphis police were serving a drug warrant search at a home on Delta Road when they discovered Nakial Betts, 45, sitting in a car along with a woman.

The couple had a black and white pitbull puppy in the car with them.

Betts and the woman were detained while officers searched the house before asking them to bring the dog inside.

It was then detectives noticed the animal had been mutilated and its ears were missing.

When questioned, Betts admitted he had cut the puppy's ears off with scissors that he had sterilised. He said he used peroxide and antibiotic ointment on its wounds.

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Director of Memphis Animal Services (MAS) Alexis Pugh told FOX13 the officers called them immediately.

"Our officers rushed to the scene, and what we found and what the owner admitted to was that he had in fact about four or five days ago done a home ear cropping job using scissors on this puppy."

Betts was arrested and charged with animal cruelty. Officers took the puppy into custody along with two other dogs found in the garden, who seemed to be healthy.

Police also searched Betts' second property on King Avenue, where they found a white bottle containing brown liquid inside a fridge he claimed to use for antibiotics, as well as three empty syringes.