A man is convicted of animal cruelty after officials say he cut off his pet pit bull's ears with a razor to make him look tougher.

Smokey, a tan and white male pit bull, was handed over to city animal care workers after his owner sliced off his ears in a bathtub on August 1.

Authorities say Shadrach Go, 25, taped Smokey's mouth closed, straddled him and severed the dog's ears.

Go faces a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $20,000 fine. The most likely scenario, however, will be probation and his being prohibited from owning dogs for several years. Sentencing has been set for September 14.

The crude cut jobs, known as "cropping," are frequent among unlicensed pit bull breeders who use the dogs for fighting or intimidation. Many owners believe cropping makes the dogs look tougher.