My family has been caring for dogs and cats for 95 years. I was astounded by the misinformation in the Daily News Transcript article on the so-called “Devocalizing” of dogs (“Teen gets pols’ support for banning devocalization of pets,” Feb. 13).
“Debarking” is a rarely used procedure involving the use of a laser to, in effect, notch the vocal cord. There is no blood, no cutting, and little risk of infection. Military dogs used for night guard duty are “debarked.” It is a safety issue for dog and handler, not a punitive one. I have never heard of anyone using this to silence an annoying dog.
I also take issue with the comment, “People talk and dogs bark.” Such gratuitous statements foster the belief held by many that dogs are people. Dogs can be better than many people; they are capable of adjusting to life’s complexity better than many their human companions. And decidedly unlike people, dogs are not enamored with the sound of their own voice. Whether or not they can “verbalize” is of little consequence to them.
In 77 years of boarding people’s pets, we have never had a debarked dog. I daresay most veterinarians have never been asked to perform the procedure. Passing prohibitive legislation where no abuse exists is another ridiculous use of the legislative process.
May I respectfully suggest that the politicians in the commonwealth deal with their own ethical issues and leave the ethical treatment of companion animals to those of us equipped to do so.
