What is the greater cruelty? Dubbing a rooster or drinking iced tea through a plastic straw?... view most cropping and docking... as unecessary... unless it improves their quality of life.... That's the key point: Does the procedure improve the animal's quality of life? If no, then cruelty. If yes, then not cruelty.... You can still refuse to do it yourself, that's absolutely your right... Just don't assume that people who are trying to help their animals are being cruel to them.
Evidently it is the latter.