Debarking
Encyclopedia
Devocalization is a surgical
procedure applied to dog
s and cats, where tissue is removed from the animal’s vocal cords in order to permanently reduce the volume of their vocalizations. The procedure is outlawed as a form of mutilation in the United Kingdom
and all countries that have signed the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals
and attempts have been made to outlaw the procedure in various parts of the United States
.
(or "Sheltie"), which are known as loud barkers (due to the nature of the environment in which the breed was developed).
The NCPPSP's Shelter Statistics Survey collected data from over 5,000 shelters, The study concluded that neither excessive vocalization nor general "behavior problems" were among the top ten reasons companion animals are relinquished at shelters.
In a study of 12 shelters reporting behaviors of animals relinquished to shelters as reported by prior caretakers, a majority of relinquished cats and dogs were reported to have "rarely or never" have been too noisy.
's Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, points out that "the surgery stops the barking, but it doesn't address why the dog was barking in the first place." Gaughan notes that visitors to her clinic who request debarking are usually looking for a "quick fix". Gaughan states that, commonly, those who seek debarking live in apartments, or have neighbors who complain. Gaughan also counts "breeders with many dogs" among those who most often seek convenience devocalization. However, Dr. Gaughan does not agree with those who claim the procedure is cruel, stating "Recently, some animal advocates have asserted this surgery is cruel to the animal; some countries have even outlawed the procedure. I do not believe the surgical procedure is cruel; however, failing to address the underlying factors is inappropriate."
Some breeders seek the surgery in order to limit or diminish noise levels for personal reasons ranging from convenience to prevention; some breeders even seek the surgery for puppies prior to going to new homes. However, the fundamental flaw lies within the dog owner's capacity to make appropriate decisions based on their ability to properly provide and care for their breed of choice, which includes taking into consideration living conditions.
Most dogs can be taught to offer more acceptable behaviors in lieu of barking and other noisy behaviors. It is important to remember that dogs may make noise while playing, when excited, stressed, bored, under or over exercised, and for any number of other reasons. Dog owners need to make educated decisions about the breed(s) and breed mixes they choose to bring into their homes by doing research on the history of the breed(s), the breed today, and the necessary requirements for the breed.
, American Animal Hospital Association
and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
, oppose laws that would make devocalization illegal.
The American Veterinary Medical Association
's official position states that "canine devocalization should only be performed by qualified, licensed veterinarians as a final alternative after behavioral modification efforts to correct excessive vocalization have failed."
The AVMA's position was later adopted by the American Animal Hospital Association
.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
(ASPCA) recommends that animal caretakers first attempt to address animal behavior problems with humane behavior modification techniques and/or with a treatment protocol set up by an animal behavior specialist. The ASPCA recommends surgery only if behavior modification techniques have failed, and the animal is at risk of losing its home or its life.
In February 2009, 15-year-old Jordan Star of Needham, Massachusetts
, filed a bill to outlaw performing convenience devocalization procedures upon cats and dogs. The bill is co-sponsored by Senator Scott Brown
, with the title Logan's Law, after a debarked sheepdog. Star said of convenience devocalization: "To take a voice away from an animal is morally wrong." The bill became state law on April 23, 2010.
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
procedure applied to dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
s and cats, where tissue is removed from the animal’s vocal cords in order to permanently reduce the volume of their vocalizations. The procedure is outlawed as a form of mutilation in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and all countries that have signed the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals
European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals
The European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals is a treaty of the Council of Europe to promote the welfare of pet animals and ensure minimum standards for their treatment and protection. The treaty was signed in 1987 and became effective on May 1, 1992, after at least four countries had...
and attempts have been made to outlaw the procedure in various parts of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Procedure and risks
The procedure may be performed via the animal's mouth, with a portion of the vocal folds removed using a biopsy punch, cautery tool, scissor, or laser. The procedure may also be performed via an incision in the throat and through the larynx, which is a more invasive technique. All devocalization procedures require general anesthesia. Risks and side effects include negative reaction to anaesthesia, infection, bleeding, and pain. There is also the risk of the removed tissue growing back, or of scar tissue blocking the throat, both requiring further surgeries, though with the incisional technique, the risk of fibrosis is virtually eliminated. Most debarked dogs have a subdued "husky" bark, audible up to 20 metres.Factors
Chronic, excessive vocalization may be due to improper socialization or training, stress, boredom, fear, or frustration. Up to 35% of dog owners report problems with barking, which can cause disputes and legal problems. The practice is more common among some breeds of dog, such as the Shetland SheepdogShetland Sheepdog
The Shetland Sheepdog, often known as the Sheltie, is a breed of herding dog.They are small to medium dogs, and come in a variety of colors, such as sable/white, tri-color, and blue merle. They are vocal, excitable, energetic dogs who are always willing to please and work hard...
(or "Sheltie"), which are known as loud barkers (due to the nature of the environment in which the breed was developed).
National Council on Pet Population and Study statistics
The National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy (NCPPSP) is a council of ten prominent American animal organizations which studies and addresses statistics on companion animals.The NCPPSP's Shelter Statistics Survey collected data from over 5,000 shelters, The study concluded that neither excessive vocalization nor general "behavior problems" were among the top ten reasons companion animals are relinquished at shelters.
In a study of 12 shelters reporting behaviors of animals relinquished to shelters as reported by prior caretakers, a majority of relinquished cats and dogs were reported to have "rarely or never" have been too noisy.
| Was too noisy | Dogs | Cats | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | |
| Always | 99 | 5.0 % | 31 | 2.4 % |
| Mostly | 179 | 9.1 % | 67 | 5.2 % |
| Sometimes | 575 | 29.2 % | 242 | 18.7 % |
| Rarely/never | 1,119 | 56.7 % | 951 | 73.7 % |
Context
Dr. Kathy Gaughan, assistant professor of clinical sciences at Kansas State UniversityKansas State University
Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
's Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, points out that "the surgery stops the barking, but it doesn't address why the dog was barking in the first place." Gaughan notes that visitors to her clinic who request debarking are usually looking for a "quick fix". Gaughan states that, commonly, those who seek debarking live in apartments, or have neighbors who complain. Gaughan also counts "breeders with many dogs" among those who most often seek convenience devocalization. However, Dr. Gaughan does not agree with those who claim the procedure is cruel, stating "Recently, some animal advocates have asserted this surgery is cruel to the animal; some countries have even outlawed the procedure. I do not believe the surgical procedure is cruel; however, failing to address the underlying factors is inappropriate."
Some breeders seek the surgery in order to limit or diminish noise levels for personal reasons ranging from convenience to prevention; some breeders even seek the surgery for puppies prior to going to new homes. However, the fundamental flaw lies within the dog owner's capacity to make appropriate decisions based on their ability to properly provide and care for their breed of choice, which includes taking into consideration living conditions.
Most dogs can be taught to offer more acceptable behaviors in lieu of barking and other noisy behaviors. It is important to remember that dogs may make noise while playing, when excited, stressed, bored, under or over exercised, and for any number of other reasons. Dog owners need to make educated decisions about the breed(s) and breed mixes they choose to bring into their homes by doing research on the history of the breed(s), the breed today, and the necessary requirements for the breed.
Opinions of medical organizations and humane societies
Multiple animal medicine and animal welfare organizations discourage the use of convenience devocalization, recommending that it only be used as a last resort. However, organizations such as the American Veterinary Medical AssociationAmerican Veterinary Medical Association
The American Veterinary Medical Association , founded in 1863, is a not-for-profit association representing more than 81,500 U.S. veterinarians working in private and corporate practice, government, industry, academia, and uniformed services....
, American Animal Hospital Association
American Animal Hospital Association
The American Animal Hospital Association is a non-profit organization for companion animal veterinarians. It was established in 1933. The association develops benchmarks of excellence, business practice standards, publications and educational programs...
and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing cruelty towards animals...
, oppose laws that would make devocalization illegal.
The American Veterinary Medical Association
American Veterinary Medical Association
The American Veterinary Medical Association , founded in 1863, is a not-for-profit association representing more than 81,500 U.S. veterinarians working in private and corporate practice, government, industry, academia, and uniformed services....
's official position states that "canine devocalization should only be performed by qualified, licensed veterinarians as a final alternative after behavioral modification efforts to correct excessive vocalization have failed."
The AVMA's position was later adopted by the American Animal Hospital Association
American Animal Hospital Association
The American Animal Hospital Association is a non-profit organization for companion animal veterinarians. It was established in 1933. The association develops benchmarks of excellence, business practice standards, publications and educational programs...
.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing cruelty towards animals...
(ASPCA) recommends that animal caretakers first attempt to address animal behavior problems with humane behavior modification techniques and/or with a treatment protocol set up by an animal behavior specialist. The ASPCA recommends surgery only if behavior modification techniques have failed, and the animal is at risk of losing its home or its life.
Legal restriction and banning
The legality of convenience devocalization varies by jurisdiction.United Kingdom
Debarking is specifically prohibited in the UK, along with ear cropping, tail docking, and declawing of cats. By law, convenience devocalization is considered a form of surgical mutilation.United States
In the United States, laws vary by state. In the year 2000, anti-debarking legislation was proposed in California, New Jersey, and Ohio. The California and New Jersey bills failed, partially due to opposition from groups who predicted the ban would lead to similar bans on ear cropping and other controversial cosmetic surgical procedures on dogs. The Ohio bill survived, and was signed into law by Governor Robert Taft in August 2000. However, Ohio Revised Code 955.22 only outlawed debarking of dogs considered "vicious".In February 2009, 15-year-old Jordan Star of Needham, Massachusetts
Needham, Massachusetts
Needham is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. A suburb of Boston, its population was 28,886 at the 2010 census.- History :...
, filed a bill to outlaw performing convenience devocalization procedures upon cats and dogs. The bill is co-sponsored by Senator Scott Brown
Scott Brown
Scott Brown is a United States senator.Scott Brown may also refer to:-Sportsmen:*Scott Brown , American college football coach of Kentucky State...
, with the title Logan's Law, after a debarked sheepdog. Star said of convenience devocalization: "To take a voice away from an animal is morally wrong." The bill became state law on April 23, 2010.
External links
- "Don't Debark, Train Your Dog to Stop Barking Instead!": Why Training a Dog to Stop Barking Isn't Rocket Science and How You Too Can Easily Do it Starting Now!
- "Dog Training Tutorials, Video Clips, Articles, Guides, and More..."
See also
- Bark (dog)Bark (dog)A bark is a noise most commonly produced by dogs and puppies. Other animals that make this noise include wolves and quolls. Woof is the most common representation in the English language for this sound...
- MeowMeowMeow is an imitative word for a sound made in cat communication. It may also refer to:- Music :* Miou Miou, a Czech pop band* Miaow , an English band* Miaow , a 1994 album by The Beautiful South...
- Animal rightsAnimal rightsAnimal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings...
- Animal welfareAnimal welfareAnimal welfare is the physical and psychological well-being of animals.The term animal welfare can also mean human concern for animal welfare or a position in a debate on animal ethics and animal rights...
- Humane societyHumane SocietyA humane society may be a group that aims to stop human or animal suffering due to cruelty or other reasons, although in many countries, it is now used mostly for societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals...
- Dog breedingDog breedingDog breeding is the practice of mating selected specimens with the intent to maintain or produce specific qualities and characteristics.Dogs reproduce without human interference, so their offsprings' characteristics are determined by natural selection. Domestic dogs may be intentionally bred by...