Jul 9, 2009 11:02 pm US/Eastern
Dog Debarking Raises Health & Safety Concerns
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
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This Australian Shepherd was debarked by its breeder. Her new owner says the dog sometimes gags while drinking water because of the surgery.
WBZ
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One of the complications of debarking is the growth of scar tissue. This dog recently had surgery to remove scar tissue after a debarking procedure.
WBZ
A heated battle among animal lovers moves to the State House July 14. At issue, should a procedure to devocalize dogs and cats be banned in Massachusetts?
It's an issue with both sides claiming they only want to protect the lives of their beloved pets.
DANGERS OF DEBARKING
Marjorie Halpern of Wayland adopted a purebred Australian shepherd when the puppy was 8 months old. At the time, the breeder failed to disclose one detail.
"I said, 'You know, she tried to bark, and this horrible thing came out of her mouth, like nothing,' and she said 'Oh yeah, we debarked her,' and I said, 'Why would you do that?' and she said, 'Well, I automatically debark all my dogs,'" explained Halpern.
She was stunned, "I was so angry. I couldn't speak to her. I couldn't believe she could do such a thing."
Debarking or devocalization does not necessarily silence an animal. The surgery that snips or removes the animal's vocal chords can make a dog's bark softer.
But Halpern says it can create other problems, "When she drinks water she gags. Sometimes she'll start gagging so much I'm worried that she can't breathe."
One of the complications from the debarking procedure is the growth of scar tissue.
"It can cause everything from coughing and irritation to severe respiratory distress for the rest of the animal's life," said veterinarian Joel Woolfson.
That's what happened to Stella, a debarked golden lab. Stella just underwent surgery to have the scar tissue removed.
Dottie Veneto, Stella's owner, opposes debarking, "There is no reason we feel to put a dog through cutting the vocal chords because someone doesn't want to hear them bark."
SOME SAY DEBARKING IS NECESSARY
A bill has been filed on Beacon Hill to ban devocalization of dogs and cats in Massachusetts unless it's a medical necessity. It's a bill that has as much passionate opposition as it does support.
Read up on bill called Logan's Law
"We have had horrible stories reported of what people have done to dogs that barked," explained Charlotte McGowan of the National Animal Interest Alliance.
McGowan is a dog breeder, a kennel club judge, and owner of 13 dogs. She opposes the bill after seeing what some owners have done.
"They will do something drastic as actually kill them, beat them, do abusive things to them to make them stop barking," she said.
Alana Kelly is the owner of a sheltie named Striker. She had Striker debarked after all other efforts to quiet him failed.
"I had an issue with a neighbor who threatened to kill him," said Kelly. She says debarking was a last resort, "I couldn't move and I wasn't going to give him away."
Opponents of the bill also say that the government shouldn't be telling vets what procedures they can and cannot do and ask, "Which is better, a debarked dog or a dead dog?"
"The kindest thing to do is to keep a dog that is well loved in its home with the people who love him, rather than sending it away to a shelter and having it potentially be euthanized," said McGowan.
But Weston veterinarian Dr. Joel Woolfson, who refuses to perform devocalizations, sees it differently.
"I don't think it's being done as an ultimate last resort. I think that like with many aspects of our lives, people do take the easy way out," he said.
ALTERNATIVES TO DEBARKING
The Massachusetts Veterinary Medical Association says it deplores devocalizing for convenience, or to make the sale of an animal easier.
However, it does oppose the bill saying when all other options have failed, devocalization should be available to prevent a pet from losing its life or its home.
Supporters of the bill say that there are many behavioral modification techniques that can be used to reduce a dog's barking. Opponents say that those methods do not work on all dogs.
Supporters also say that the majority of debarking is done by breeders, not by individual dog owners. Opponents deny that breeders systematically debark their dogs but do it on case by case basis.
The hearing of the bill is Tuesday, July 14 at the State House.
More information on the bill and devocalization:
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