Pet owners in China are making their cats and dogs go through a cosmetic surgery known as “Mickey Ears” for a cartoonish look, causing nationwide outrage by animal rights activists and advocates.

Veterinarians have advised against undergoing this painful and cruel cosmetic surgery that gives animals “Mickey Ears”.

For as cheap as 300 yuan (£33), pet clinics will trim the ears of cats and dogs to look like the Disney character.

Even more concerning, local news sources have discovered dozens of internet shops offering “DIY” clamps for home animal ear mutilation.

Animal lovers caution that the process cause discomfort to the animals, harm their hearing, and impair their capacity for communication.

This is a type of ear cropping, where animals have their ears chopped off to give them a specific shape.

In China, it’s becoming more and more common to clip a pet’s ears into a Mickey Mouse-like round shape.

Two distinct treatments must be performed on animals in order to achieve the Mickey Ear shape.

To cut the ear, they must first be put under anaesthesia for a half-hour procedure.

The second step, known as the “styling phase,” can last anywhere from 20 to 60 days and calls for constant adjusting to keep the ear in place.

According to the South China Morning Post, the treatment is now uncommon in the majority of pet hospitals but may be common in dog kennels and breeding facilities.