Pioneer State: Massachussetts House Passes Dog De-Barking Ban Bill

By Jo Singer | March 5, 2010 10:22 AM

I have exciting news for animal lovers in Massachusetts. On March 3, 2010, the House voted 150-1 to ban the devocalization of dogs!

The Bay State has taken on this pioneering step to ensure this vitally important and necessary protection of canines. The bill was authored by Rep. Lida Harkins, D-Needham, and co-sponsored by Rep. Bill Bowles, D-Attleboro. Bowles said, "I think basically it is a cruel and barbaric practice."

This cruel and unnecessary procedure, along with tail docking and feline declawing, has already been humanely banned throughout the United Kingdom. But, sadly to say I was unable to find any other state in this country that has either passed or that has pending legislation to ban this senseless and dangerous surgery. In fact, California, New Jersey and Ohio have already attempted to broadly ban the procedure without any success.

5-Mixed Breed Dog.jpgFortunately the amendments posed by the Massachusetts' Veterinary Association that would have permitted the continuation of the cruel practice of the "cosmetic only procedure" debarking surgery were defeated by the Massachusetts's heroic state legislators. Of course the opponents to the final passage of the bill will be working harder than ever to prevent it from passing.

They "erroneously" state that banning the surgery will only result in canine abandonment and an increase of dogs surrendered to shelters. There is no evidence to support this view.

With the exception of any serious medical condition, such as throat cancer, the bill bans debarking surgery, which consists of cutting or surgically altering the vocal cords This is done to lessen noise, and to prevent dogs from barking altogether. The surgery is by no means benign. Serious side-effects can result which causes dogs to gasp for breath and to have difficulty eating due to the scar tissue which often forms as a result of the procedure. Serious infections can also occur post surgery.

Through their tireless efforts, the unfunded grassroots activists pulled the victory off, much to the surprise of the advocates of debarking surgery, who will no doubt double their efforts to either ban the bill or water it down substantially. Incredibly there are many breeders as well who will also no doubt join the protestors, since they routinely de-bark their breeding stock to prevent neighbors from complaining about excessive noise. Incredibly, some breeders actually perform the surgery themselves.

State Rep. Cheryl Coakley-Rivera felt so strongly about the need for this bill to pass that she brought her own pet Terrier, Liam, to the proceedings. She told her colleagues that the practice of "devocalization" should be outlawed, as it is inhumane.

Here is an excerpt from her speech on the House Floor:

"(My dogs) are members of my family. They may not be search dogs who find people...or assistance dogs working with children. But they are special to me. (Devocalization) involves monetary profit, not love of animals. (It) is inhumane and must be stopped. Most people who devocalize their dogs don't take the time and training. Little dogs have a tendency to yelp, it's their only defense. I brought my friend who has sat here for the last 40 minutes and not said a word. He gets love and humane treatment from my family. Please accept this bill as written."

And now the bill now heads to the Senate.

Massachusetts residents can help by immediately demonstrating support by contacting their representatives. Call, email, or better yet, send a hard-copy letter thanking them for supporting H344. Urge your State (Beacon Hill) Rep and Senator to pass House Bill 344. To find your legislators, phone 1-800-462-8683

If this bill passes in Massachusetts, perhaps other states will follow suit and this barbaric surgery will be banned nationally.

Watch the compelling video uploaded to YouTube by enlightenmt1 to learn more about the horrors of de-barking surgery.

What are your thoughts about de-vocalizing dogs? Leave a comment and share.

Photo Credit: Mixed Breed Dog: Wikipedia

RELATED TOPICS: Cruelty (32) , Dogs (69) , Law (31)



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Comments (29)

Dog Training Outlet March 5, 2010 9:17 AM
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A ridiculous and cruel procedure. Glad to see this one is banned.

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Publius March 5, 2010 10:03 AM
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This is a cruel practice that has become popular with organized crime members; they raise dogs to be vicious and brutal so as to support their criminal activities and they remove the animal's ability to bark because they think it makes the dogs more stealthy/effective.

For example, try getting into a warehouse filled with illegal drugs or stolen goods that is guarded by several trained-to-be-vicious Rottweilers who have had their ability to bark removed...

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rescuethedogs March 7, 2010 8:19 AM
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Your comment is a classic animal rights comment to denigrate dogs and people! Your sad attempt to say that it is organized criminals who debark shows that you have no compassion for the person who is trying to keep a noisy dog that the neighbors are complaining about. You must be a dog hater. My friend in NY got a small shelter mix that was an obsessive barker. She was told get rid of the dog or move! She couldn't move and she spent thousands with trainers. The dog still barked and she was desperate. So she had the procedure done. The dog still barks way too much but it is so much softer the neighbors no longer complain. She loves the dog and the dog has a home. So you take away the last resort and her dog goes back to the shelter and trust me a braking dog in NYC is not going to stay in a home long but will bounce back to the shelter and eventually get a needle. Don't you people understand this???

Bonnie March 5, 2010 12:01 PM
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It is a very sad day when people who know very little about a subject feel they have the right to pass coercive legislation based on emotion alone, ignoring the advice of people who actually have a lifetime of experience on the subject. The operation is so rare that very few people have much experience with it or understand the purpose of the debark operation (bark softening would be a more accurate term). However, I do have that experience, and I can tell you that most of what is being said about it is just plain not true.

Debarking is not “cosmetic.” That makes no sense at all! What could possibly be “cosmetic” about it?

The operation is not even done for the owner, it is for the NEIGHBORS! Dog owners don’t want to debark their dogs, it is the NEIGHBORS who want it! The people who need and want this operation are the non-dog-owners, not the owners!

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jetarc March 5, 2010 12:08 PM
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so, you don't think that there are idiot vets who can botch a job just like human drs do on humans? The normal debarking process is not major surgery. I have had debarked dogs who are fine, do not gag, wheeze, choke, no problem eating, breathing, playing, running, etc. BUT YOU have sentenced dogs to death because this procedure will no longer be available. I hope these condemned dogs visit you for the rest of your life in your sleep

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iniki March 5, 2010 12:12 PM
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Debarking is not a humane alternative to a problem. In the mile stretch of road where we live there are 66 dogs. Of all those dogs we are blessed with 8 Great Danes on one side and a Labordor and a Prson Russell on the other side of us. These are the only dogs that constantly bark. They will get each other started and bark for no reason at all. Just to talk back and forth. Oh how I have dreamed of making them stop!!! I would never, whoever, wish a de-barking operation on any of them. I do wish owners would be more responsible! That is the answer. Somehow breeders and owners of problem barkers take the "easy" way out. It is a very sad thought. Debarking, declawing, tail docking, ear cropping are all things that make people happy, not dogs and cats.

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Bonnie March 5, 2010 12:24 PM
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I have been training dogs all my life, most of them Shelties, the world's worst barkers. Some of them just can't be trained not to bark. I have owned three debarked Shelties over the years, known a lot of others, and talked to a lot of owners about their experiences. The operation saves the lives of dogs that have been banished by condo associations and Animal Control Officers after multiple citations and hearings. These dogs would otherwise have to be euthanized or dumped in a shelter (and problem barkers rarely get adopted). I have known several dogs that got anonymous death threats for barking, some of which died from poisoned meat thrown over the fence.

This bill will kill a lot of dogs and break a lot of owners' hearts. Most of what is being said about it is just plain wrong. It is a very minor operation, it has almost no health risks when properly done by an experienced veterinarian, dogs can still bark (just more softly) and communicate just fine, and the dogs are perfectly happy and don't even seem to notice the difference. But all the people getting emotional about it without any real knowledge are drowning out the voices of the few of us who do know something. Please do not jump on the bandwagon of any legislation until you have talked to someone who actually has extensive experience with it. It often turns out, as in this case, that the "conventional wisdom" is just not so.

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Diana March 5, 2010 12:43 PM
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You make very valid and compelling points, Bonnie.

Pam Lawrence March 8, 2010 9:48 AM
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The video that is linked to this is misleading. The surgery is performed down the dogs throat. The do not go in from the outside of the neck. I have had dogs debarked. Is it better to be dead than debarked. Thank you for bringing up very good points. I am a former dog warden who had to deal with the barking issues. If this bill passes, there will be more dogs in shelters and is that better than a quick surgery that quiets the bark?

Diana March 5, 2010 12:41 PM
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I would never have a dog debarked, and I condemn breeders who routinely debark all their dogs. It is cruel and irresponsible. However, this is NOT a routine operation in any locale where I have lived. I have never seen nor heard of a debarked dog where I have lived. I see no need to legislate it. Of course, Massacheusetts is so progressive and enlightened than the rest of us no account Mid-Americans that they also want to outlaw circumcision of male infants and make it a crime punishable by 14 years in jail for the parents who submit their male babies to this "horrendous and cruel" procedure. Sorry. I'm not that enlightened and never will be. Still not gonna ever debark any of my future dogs, though.

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Vicki March 5, 2010 3:24 PM
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Not something I would ever consider, and glad at least one state agrees with me. This should become nationwide. IMO

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Susan March 5, 2010 3:40 PM
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I beg to differ - there is plenty of anecdotal evidence to support this view. There is no evidence, anecdotal or otherwise to support the converse view. Before you make a statement like that - do a statistically valid study to refute them.
All you people who find bark softening, docking etc "horrendous and cruel" have no problem with pediatric castration and ovariohysterectomy (neuter and spay for those who do not understand those operations either) even though those operations are major surgery and have extensive scientific literature to back the assertions that they can have long-term deleterious health effects. Ripping the gonads from babies is all right with you. I find a serious logical disconnect here.

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Marty March 5, 2010 6:31 PM
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Excellent rebuttal. These people who are against debarking are buying into the "animal rights" industry propaganda mill BIG LIES. They do NOT know what they are talking about. I seriously doubt that 1 in 10,000 of them (if there are that many AR-brainwashed sheeple who oppose bark softening) have firsthand experience with any negativity associated. If debarking is cruel, then spay/neuter is cruel (it's done for the *convenience* of the owners, after all). People need to use their intelligence instead of behaving like AR "true believer" zombies who try to force the true animal experts to act like the AR industry wants things to be. The AR industry (e.g., H$U$) are NOT the animal experts--they are the animal eliminators. Wake up, true animal lovers! These fanatics are NOT friends of animals--they are haters of people.

Gordon March 5, 2010 4:00 PM
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I reluctantly had my dog de-barked. I was her 4th home by the time she was 3 yrs old. No one could stand living her, she was SO vocal (she was an exhuberant Gordon Setter, a beautiful dog). We spent our first year with her in total misery, and I'm an experienced dog trainer, folks. The problem was both the frequency AND the pitch of her bark. It made you jump out of your skin, and was VERY loud. We were carefully screened by the vet who did the procedure, he wanted to ensure she wasn't being stuck in the backyard and ignored (far from it-- our dogs are with us all the time, they're like kids to us and lead a GREAT life). After the procedure, she barked as much as she ever did, but the bark sound was gone and we could all live together. Seriously, if we had not debarked her we would have had to take her to a shelter. There was no excess scar tissue (we had them check a few times) after the surgery. I'd never had it done before, and I have never had it done since (I have 3 dogs). Our Gordon lived to be 12 years old, and had a wonderful life. I think if I lived in Mass. I would have to find a vet who would like about a cancer diagnosis. Debarking saved my dog's life. I don't advocate it casually, but I do think it should be allowed in certain circumstances.

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alice March 5, 2010 5:15 PM
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IT SHOULD BE ALLOWED whenever the vet and the owner decide it is the right thing to do . the rest of you BUTT OUT

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Elizabeth March 5, 2010 8:17 PM
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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.

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Lynne\'s Honey March 6, 2010 1:51 PM
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Charlotte,

You are so right in your comments. we had a sheltie who was eventually de-barked. He simply could not be trained out of it no matter the method used. We spent a lot of time and money during the process. He had what we came to call a dolphin bark--a high pitched bark that would pierce you when he barked. He would bark at anything--the wind is blowing--bark, bark, bark, a leafe is falling, the grass is shining in the morning dew, it is raining, and, do not forget about the squirrels, a particularly devious enemy of all shelties. When we moved into a development in the suburbs from the rural area we had been living in, it became more imperative to rein in his barking so as not to disturb our neighbors (when your nearest neighbor is a quarter mile away, barking of a dog, and training them out of it becomes more imperative than just trying to keep your own sanity). Still unable to break him of the behavior, we started to consider de-barking. My wife--the real dog person, and a groomer and trainer (now just training) did the research and found a qualified vet to do the procedure. It was successful, and he still barked asa much as before, but it would seldom break the irritation barrier, and was easy enough to ignore.

Can there be side-effects from the procedure? Yes, there can, and we were made aware that there could be, as with any procedure performed on animals and people.

Should this be done on all dogs? Definitely not. Before even considering doing it, training should be tried, and can be very successful. We have a house rule here that no barking is allowed after 9 PM. All we need to say, should barking occur, is "It's after nine", and barking will cease.(This did not apply to the dog mentioned above, who lived a long life, and is now awaiting us at the Rainbow Bridge.)

If you have a barker, and cannot train the dog out of it, then de-barking is a valid option. You do need to talk to a vet about it any any other options that may not have been tried. Hopefully, if your vet is not experienced with this procedure, he can recommend someone who is, so that both you and your dog may live a long and happy life together.

Cheryl March 5, 2010 11:12 PM
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I signed a petition just the other day on this and also posted it on FB & asked friends to sign the petition. This is a surgery that would remove the dogs vocal chords, because the owners are too lazy to train the dog. I don't believe in shock collars or electric collars, but they are far better than having this surgery done and much cheaper. I would never have this surgery done to a dog of mine -it's tragic. I use clicker training and it does work if done properly.

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Joyce March 6, 2010 11:14 AM
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Cheryl, Your statements are misguided. There are any number of reasons to Bark-Soften dogs. In many instances, it is a last resort to save a beloved pet that feels compelled to bark at the trees blowing in the wind, the neighbor kids playing in their own yard, the birds in the sky. In other instances, people that are very active with their dogs participating in many different dog related activities find that the barking passes from dog to dog so that no amount of "training or behavior modication" is going to help.The vocal cords and not removed,this is a simple bloodless procedure. The dogs wake up, ready to eat a meal, be silly and bark their heads off if they want. If anyone wants to know whether Bark-Softened dogs are happy joyful beings, able to make all the different sounds, grunts, grumbles, growls,yips, barks and yodels....they only need to be at my house at dinner time.

Rescuethedog March 7, 2010 8:30 AM
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You obviously don't even know what this surgery is like. The vocal chord are not removed! Amazing you read lies and take them as facts. Look at this article a vet wrote that tells how it is done:http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/04/answers-about-canina-devocalization/
TAKING QUESTIONS
Ask About Canine Devocalization
Sharon Vanderlip, a doctor of veterinary medicine, responded to readers.

Charlie March 6, 2010 1:14 PM
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Here is the point.
1. If it's a choice between bark softening or euthenasia, which do you choose?
2. Why are these poor misguided people working to take away the rights of honest upstanding dog owners?
3. In some cases, as has been stated already, there are dogs that will continue to bark. It is part of their genetic make up.
4. In most cases, it's not the owners that have the problem with barking, it's the Neighbors. The owners are trying to be respectful and trying to be good neighbors.

Why don't you people all just take a breath. What are the number of dogs that need or have had bark softening done? My guess is that it's a pretty small number in comparison to the overall number of dogs. Just stop being STUPID!

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Joyce March 6, 2010 1:32 PM
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Thank you for "getting it" Charlie.

Dr. Rosset March 6, 2010 3:50 PM
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What people fail to realize is that the videos and pictures used are done of dogs that may have had cancer surgery or if I look at the pictures correctly they were done by someone who has no idea how to bark soften a dog. And this procedure is not done on cats at all. Think of the squealing sound a balloon makes when you stretch the opening to allow the air to escape. The smaller the opening the louder the sound. High pitched barks travel long distances and disturb the neighbors. All Bark softening does is to make the opening larger and just as you release the balloon the air comes out with a softer sound. An experience vet can open the vocal chords just enough to allow the sound to be less intense. There should be no scarring or over growth unless the vet did not do it properly. This law will kill thousands of dogs and that is why the animal rights people push this law because they know dogs cannot be trained to stop barking except when the owner is there day and night. They know this will make it more difficule to own a dog. That is why they push these laws. Notice that they worse surgery that humans perform upon their animal that has no health benefit to the animals as shown by numerous research studies and in fact causese severe behavior, health , growth problems and is the number one leading problable cause of bone cancer is spay and neuter surgery where the sex organs are ripped out of the body after the muscle tissues are cut through. This surgery is done only for the convenience of the owner. Notice that all of the animal rights people are pushing mandatory spay and neuter when already 93% of all owned pets are already spayed and neutered. In ten years there will be no more pets. Already the rescues and shelter groups in the north east states are shipping in over 375,000 feral dogs with unknown tropical diseases, rabies, and things like bot fly into shelters in the north east so these rescue groups can keep operating. This is harmful to the public and puts our food supplies at risk. The bot fly grows inside the body eating you from the inside with no outside evidence other than a bump. The eggs are deposited on your skin from the mosquito once it has landed on an infected puppy. Do you know where your rescued puppy came from? Do you?

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Gael March 6, 2010 5:19 PM
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People.....PLEASE WAKE UP!

What this bill is NOT about is bark softening; if it were, the animal rights groups wouldn't be so staunchly behind getting it passed. Interesting to see Joel Woolfson, DVM speaking out in the video above although I had to wonder why there was no mention of his position on the Board of the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association. OK, well, I honestly didn't wonder too much since all of us know that the HSVMA is the veterinary arm of the Humane Society of the United States... we all know that, don't we? And we all know that the HSUS' goal is the eventual elimination of domestic pets in American homes, don't we?

What this bill is NOT about is whether bark softening is inhumane and cruel. It's about forcing breeders to stop breeding, forcing pet owners with dogs that are excessive barkers to re-home or surrender those dogs to shelters and/or rescues. For those dogs not lucky enough to go to a friend or family member end up in a shelter or rescue where they have two options; euthanasia if not adopted or if the shelter/rescue is a "no kill", spending the rest of its life in an 8 X 10 ft cage. So, someone please explain to me which is more inhumane and cruel.

I am a dog breeder (Yes, I can hear the collective gasps!) Two of my dogs are here with me as I type this, lying around the living room waiting for Twilight to come on again. (these girls just LOVE that movie!). The other two are outside playing. I know what you're thinking... as a breeder, I must have dozens of uncared for dogs crammed into little cages but in the 30 years I have been involved in breeding and showing dogs, I have never met a breeder that keeps their dogs in that type of environment. I'm sure they exist but I would argue to the end that this type of breeder is the definitely NOT the "norm".

I now live in the country so I don't have the concerns about neighbors complaining. However, 15 years ago, I lived in the "burbs" and had neighbors, Mrs. Satan and her spawn, who complained incessantly about my barking dogs. I had police at my house at least twice monthly. One Sunday, I had returned home from a dog show, placed my dogs in the backyard while I finished unpacking my van, and looked up to see a police car coming down the street. Basically, the neighbors waited until I got home to call and complain that my dogs had been barking loud enough to "wake the entire neighborhood" at 5AM that morning. After assuring the police that I hadn't even been awake at 5AM, I asked the police officers to walk 10 feet sideways onto the grass to where they could see the backyard ... there, at the fence, were four of my dogs barking furiously...yet, because they had been bark softened, the police could not hear them over the normal conversation level 50 feet away. I asked the officers if they thought the sound of those dogs woke anyone up at 5AM considering the distances to the homes of the neighbors complaining. That was the very last time the police ever visited my house. How different that entire scenario would have been had the option of bark softening not been available.

I am a dog breeder but I am also a dog lover. I would NEVER intentionally have any dangerous or risky procedure done to one of my dogs. In the many years I have been involved with breeds that are genetically hard wired to bark (herding breeds such as corgis, collies and shelties) I have only known of one dog that has had any complication from the surgery and that was due to the vet's error. Just like there are veterinarians who specialize in cardiology, orthopedics, etc, there are vets who routinely perform this surgery and who are very skilled at it. Complications, if they occur, are extremely rare and are usually the result of another health issue or a reaction to the anesthesia, not due to the surgery itself.

Finally, we need to look at some "facts":

Dr. Gary Patronek, DVM, conducted research on the reason on why people surrender dogs to shelters and found that of those dogs surrendered due to behavior problems occurring daily, 41% were reportedly due to excessive barking.

It important to address facts about canine communication. Researchers tell us that wild canids rarely bark past the adolescent stage, belying those who claim that bark softened dogs can't 'communicate', can't 'warn' or 'sound the alarm.' Barking in our companion dogs has been attributed to domestication. As such, it's incorrect that dogs use barking as a main means of communication. Wild dogs communicate using body language, smell and a series of yips and growls that bark softened dogs can still make.

There will be those reading who have made up their minds based on emotional input rather than the truth. But for those of you who have read this with an open mind, who can acknowledge the truth that I and others who have had decades of experience with this procedure have posted, I hope you will rescind your support of this horrible bill that will at best, cause loving pet owners to give up their noisy dogs and at worst, cause those dogs their lives when no home(s) can be found for them. If you TRULY care about animals, you cannot let the animal rights groups to slyly lead MA legislators by the nose into passing this travesty of a law.

I thank you, sincerely, for allowing me to share my thoughts.

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Dr. M March 7, 2010 11:12 AM
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Research done at the Humane Society of St. Joseph, Mishawaka, Indiana, by a team of veterinarians lead by Gary Patronek VMD, PhD, found that excessive barking was given as the cause in 41% of dogs surrendered for behavorial problems... almost HALF!! When you factor in the number of dogs surrendered in this country for behavioral issues and realize that almost half of those are due to barking, you simply cannot rationally deny that excessive barking leads to many dogs being euthanized in shelters. How many of these lives could have been saved had the owners known that bark softening was a viable option (as recognized by the AVMA.)?

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Ruth March 8, 2010 7:00 AM
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I can't believe so many people are against a ban on a cruel practice which is banned in our country and many others. Dogs bark, they are born with the abbility to bark for good reason! The people who don't want debarking made illegal are probably the same ones who think it's acceptable to mutilate cats by the amputation of their last toe joints,with the misnomer 'declawing'
I hope this bill in Massachusetts is soon passed in the rest of the USA too and is closely followed by a statewide ban on declawing cats.
ANY uneccessary surgery on any animal is wrong !

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Barbara March 8, 2010 7:10 AM
Approved

Bark softening? Who gives YOU the right to decide that a dog should be operated on to soften the volume of it's bark so YOU can live happily with your neighbours? Some of you have repeatedly had it done to your dogs, some have had it done and gone on to own further dogs. Come on folks owning a dog is not a right that gives you power to adapt that dog to your specifications. Don't get a dog if you're not prepared to hear it bark, don't get a dog if you live unsuitably close to other folks, what about if you got a child with annoying habits eh? And what about babies who cry loud or squeal? Would you soften their voices? No, so why mutilate dogs. Just don't get a dog! I thank God for this legislation!!!

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Rose March 8, 2010 7:54 AM
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This is great news! What on earth is wrong with you people who think mutilating an animal in any way is OK? Thank Heaven I live in the UK where we care for our pets as the living feeling beings they are.If we don't like that dogs bark,we don't get a dog.If a neighbour's dog barks, so what,we live and let live.We don't chop bits off dogs tails ot ears either and we don't cripple our cats.
Come on the whole of the USA catch up!!!!!The rest of the civilised world are waiting for you to do just that.

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Michele S. March 8, 2010 12:20 PM
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Sheesh, what is it with all you people thinking it's okay to de-vocalise dogs? Here in the E.U. this kind of "mutilation" is banned along with ear-cropping, declawing and de-fanging because the vets themselves refuse to perform such cruel procedures. (No need for PETA here - the vets are at the forefront of fighting for animal welfare).

People should think more seriously of the welfare responsibilities involved with owning an animal before getting one and then chopping off the bits that "inconvenience" them in some way. Owning a pet is a privilege not a right, and it's certainly not compulsory. So if they don't fit your lifestyle then don't get one.

I applaud Massachusetts for taking steps to ban devocalisation, and hope that other states will follow their example of treating animals with respect and humanity.

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