Have You Heard of Devocalization? It's the Cruel Act of Surgically Silencing Companion Animals.

Facts about the procedure:
Devocalization is a misnomer. The surgical procedure is more correctly termed bark softening as dogs can still bark following this procedure. There are two techniques used; with the first, the vet goes down the dog's throat with a laser, cautery tool or biopsy punch and makes a SMALL notch in either one or both sides of the vocal folds. Those who claim the the dog's vocal cords are removed are either uneducated or intentionally misleading. There is little risk aside from the "normal" risks involved with ANY surgery that requires anesthesia and in most cases, less risk is involved. With the cautery tool or laser, there is virtually no bleeding.

Facts about canine communication:
Researchers tell us that barking is NOT a main means of canine communication. In fact, wild canid rarely bark past adolescence, suggesting that barking we see in our companion dogs can be linked to domestication. Wild canids rely much more heavily on their other senses and communication by smell, body language and a series of yips and growls that bark softened dogs are quite capable of making. Australian researchers report that a bark softened dog can still be heard at up to 65 feet so the claims that these dog are silent or so dminished that they can't warn their human is blatantly false.

Facts about saving lives:
I rescued my first dog from a shelter at the age of 16 and I haven't stopped since (almost 40 years now). I can unequivocally that this procedure has helped keep many dogs whose joyful barking caused problems with neighbors and landlords from being surrendered to shelters or otherwise abandoned. I personally have assisted 6 differenet owners have their dogs bark softened. There was not a single complication and all those owners were able to keep their dogs.

Gary Patronek, DVM, did a study back in the mid to late 90's that investigated the behavioral reasons behind dog surrenders. He reported that 41% of those dogs surrendered for behavioral reasons were surrendered because of excessive barking.

Those who support the Massachusetts ban on bark softening claim that the procedure is used by those who are too lazy to train their dogs properly. Unfortunately, I would guess that the HUGE majority of these people have little or no actual experience dealing with dogs that are excessive barkers; there are those dogs that simply do not respond to conventional methods. And I have to ask, how humane is a collar that delivers an electrical shock to the dog's bare skin each time the dog barks? Or sprays citronella in the dog's face?

The bottom line:
I have several dogs that are bark softened. I had the procedure done when I was living in the "burbs" and have problems with neighbors. I know of many people with bark softened dogs encompassing a variety of purebreds AND mixed breeds. I don't know anyone who took the decision to have this surgery done lightly. And I don't know of a single person who regrets having it done. However, the "proof" in what I am saying is in watching the dogs who have been bark softened. They run, jump, play, eat and drink just like the dogs running along side them who have not had the procedure done. Until one barks, even the most experienced "dog expert" would not be able to tell a bark softened dog from one who isn't.

HB344, like many bills across the country, has a darker force motivating it and that is the animal rights machine that pushes "anti-dog" laws cleverly disguised as "humane legislation". This bill, being pushed by the animal rights group, Humane Society of the United States, is about making it more difficult for people to keep companion animals. HSUS CEO Wayne Pacelle stated in Animal People News, ""We have no problems with the extinction of domestic animals. They are creations of human selective breeding."

The people of Massachusetts are being led to the edge of the cliff like lemmings. The ones who will suffer will be those animals who lose their lives because this option is no longer available.

Debarking (Bark Softening) - Myths and Facts
Animal rights groups attack life-saving debarking procedure
By Charlotte McGowan
There is a move around the country by animal rights interests to outlaw the practice of debarking dogs. So much misinformation about this procedure abounds that it is truly time to set the record straight. As a dog breeder since the late 50’s, I can tell you that debarking in the hands of a well trained veterinarian is a very useful tool for breeders and owners and it saves lives. I have had many dogs debarked over the years and the usefulness of this procedure should not be ignored. I know friends who have used debarking for decades with no ill effects on the dogs. Rescue groups for noisy breeds have used this procedure to save the lives of dogs that might otherwise be euthanized.

Q: What is debarking?
A:This is a minor surgical procedure to reduce tissue in the vocal chords. Some vets use a biopsy punch to remove a small amount of tissue. . Other surgeons use a laser for the same purpose. The vocal chords are not removed! The goal of the surgery is to lower the volume of the dog's bark and the ability of the bark to carry over a wide area. This procedure is sometimes referred to as devocalization but it does not remove the dog’s voice. It is more accurately called bark-softening. The actual procedure is quick and recovery is also quick.

Q: Does debarking remove the dog's ability to bark?
A:No. Debarked dogs continue to bark. What debarking does is to lower the volume of the bark so that it does not carry for miles around.

Q. Is it true debarked dogs cannot communicate any longer?
A. No. This is a prominent myth. Debarked dogs continue to bark, whine and vocalize in all the ways dogs do.

Q: Is the surgery always successful?
A: Sometimes scar tissue forms and heavy barkers will become louder than when first debarked. The skill of the veterinarian is also a factor. Some vets do not know how to perform the surgery so it is necessary to find a vet who knows how to do the procedure.

Q: Is this a "cruel and barbaric procedure?"
A: No. People with little or no experience raising naturally noisy and talkative breeds may tell you this. People with breeds like Shetland Sheepdogs (Shelties) can tell you that this procedure is simple and that it saves lives of dogs that might otherwise be dumped in the pound for their barking. Debarking is a more simple procedure than removing the uterus in spaying or removing testicles in neutering. Many dogs that are herding dogs, working dogs or small dogs can bark a lot. Many mixed breed dogs can also be heavy barkers. In modern society with heavily built up neighborhoods sometimes any barking can cause problems between neighbors.

Q: Do dogs suffer emotionally from debarking?
A:It is a huge myth to suggest dogs are emotionally disturbed by debarking. Debarked dogs can bark. Even if reduced sound comes out of their mouths, they don't seem to notice that their bark is softer. Debarked dogs that are not being constantly disciplined for barking, in fact, tend to be much happier dogs!

Q: Is it true that only criminals and drug dealers debark dogs?
A:This is the biggest myth about debarking! The majority of people who debark dogs are responsible dog owners at the end of their rope with dogs whose bark is so piercing that they can be heard for miles around. To be breed specific, Sheltie, Collie and other herding breed owners are the people most apt to do this. Herding breeds, by nature can be very vocal in their work. They also are joyful in their barking. They bark at squirrels, strangers, in play. They bark just to bark. Sheltie and Collie breeders are not criminals and drug dealers!

Q: Is it true you can train any dog not to bark?
A:I defy some of the so-called new wave of dog behaviorists to train a group of Shelties not to bark! Shelties in numbers larger than one love to do group barking. It is part of who they are. This can be true of any group of dogs.

Q: Isn't debarking a hazardous procedure?
A: Any procedure that requires anesthesia, whether it is a dental cleaning, spay, or debarking has intrinsic risks. The key to success is good veterinary skill in all these procedures.

Q: Animal rights activists have said that dogs can be debarked by shoving a pipe down their throats. Is that possible?
A. This is an oversized myth. If someone shoves a pipe down a dog’s throat they might kill the dog. This urban legend has continued in the media.

Q: Do people debark just to avoid training their dogs?
A: The majority of people who debark have run out of options and are trying to be good neighbors. We are not talking about people who are irresponsible and leave their dogs out all night or ignore chronic barking. We are talking about people who are faced with having to move or having to give up the dog. It is a procedure of last resort. A piercing bark, even on limited occasions, can be enough to cause a war in built up residential neighborhoods. Animal rights interests have painted debarking as a cruel quick fix when in fact it is something no owner does lightly.

Q: Is excessive barking due to bad breeding?
A: Here's another myth. Shelties kept birds of prey away from lambs on remote Shetland. They also kept livestock out of the crofters meager gardens and protected fish drying on the beach from eagles and other raptors. Barking is a useful tool for this work. It also helps let the owner know where the dog is. Unfortunately, in modern life, neighbors are not impressed when dogs bark.

Q: Do breeders debark dogs to hide them so they don’t have to license them?
A: No. Many breeders own more than one dog and good breeders who want to be good neighbors sometimes debark a really loud dog. Being a good neighbor is part of being responsible.

Q: Anti debarking legislation is being put forth around the country as part of anti dog fighting bills. Isn't this a good idea?
A: Criminals pay not attention to laws. They are not going to license their dogs in the first place, let alone report any that may be debarked. The people impacted by anti debarking laws are responsible owners, especially people with talkative dogs. Animal rights interests want to outlaw any procedures they deem unnecessary. Responsible and compassionate veterinarians should understand that debarking can save lives by keeping dogs out of shelters and in homes. While some dogs, especially when they are the only dog in a home, can be trained to reduce their barking, others cannot be trained to the point where neighbors will not be annoyed.

Q: Do you debark ALL your dogs?
A: No. Some dogs are less noisy than others. I last debarked a dog ten years ago. This was a dedicated squirrel chaser with a high pitched voice. The squirrels are always going to be out there. I wish I could train the squirrels to move to another neighborhood but that's just about as hard as training a sheltie not to bark.

Charlotte McGowan is the author of The Shetland Sheepdog in America and is an honorary Life Member of the American Shetland Sheepdog Association. She has bred dogs for over 50 years. She has been an AKC dog show judge for over 30 years.
http://www.naiaonline.org/articles/archives/debark_qna.htm

The same old lies, spread by the vegan fringe who wants to eliminate pets and meat-eating. Here are the facts: Debarking saves lives by allowing untrainably noisy dogs under sentence of banishment from condo associations or Animal Control Officers to stay in their homes instead of being dumped in a shelter or euthanized. It is not cruel. It is extremely minor surgery, much less so than the neutering that everyone is so enthusiastic about. It does not silence a dog, cut its vocal cords, or cause psychological or breathing problems.
Barking is not how dogs communicate, it is how they yell (watch a group of toddlers playing and shrieking and note the comparison). Some individual dogs just cannot be trained (especially small, energetic types), not every pet owner is good at training, and some kinds of training are far crueler than debarking. It is not a “convenience.” In fact, the most convenient surgery of all is neutering! Neutering is major surgery with a long recovery period and many negative side effects, done only because people are too lazy to keep the dog in for three weeks once or twice a year when she is in season. Compare that with city and suburban owners who have to keep their dogs quiet indoors and outdoors, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
It is not the dog owners themselves, it is their neighbors who most need to have this surgery available, and it is the people who love their dogs the most that do it; they love them enough to do whatever it takes to keep them in a good home. They are not willing to dump them in a shelter or euthanize them! Just because you wouldn’t do it doesn’t mean that you should take that choice away from other people. And OF COURSE debarking is a last resort – why would anyone do it if they didn't have to?