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The Golden Retriever Club of America (GRCA) recognizes that owners have to juggle difficult decisions regarding the care of their animals. Ultimately, it is in the better interest of an inveterate barker to have their bark softened rather than for a beloved family pet to be relinquished to a shelter, or an otherwise healthy dog be euthanized.
Debarking of dogs is a commonly misunderstood practice. The surgery that reduces the barking noise is more properly called “bark softening.” When performed by a skilled veterinarian, bark softening is an acceptable medical procedure that is often done as a “last resort” when all other methods of modifying a dog’s behavior have failed. For many responsible dog owners, bark softening is the only alternative to euthanizing or surrendering their canine companion to a local shelter when their pet’s noisy behavior continually disturbs the community. Debarked dogs can still broadcast the approach of strangers, express their glee when family members come home, and announce their presence at the local dog park. They also get to stay in their homes even if they are persistent barkers. Bark softening surgery reduces the amount of tissue in the vocal chords and limits the volume but not the amount of the barking. The decision to debark a dog is one that is best left to the dog owner and his/her veterinarian.
GRCA opposes bans on debarking because they
• Are based on the false premise that debarking cruelly removes a dog’s ability to communicate.
• Jeopardize an owner’s ability to keep a beloved pet.
• Have the potential to place additional burden on local shelters and rescues.
• Legitimize activist campaigns to restrict the rights of animal owners.
• Inject politics into practices that should remain the right and responsibility of animal owners and the medical professionals they consult.
GRCA urges veterinary schools to train veterinarians in the latest techniques in bark softening so they can continue to provide this valuable service to their clients’ dogs. GRCA supports the rights of owners and veterinarians to choose debarking as a management tool that will allow dogs to remain in their homes and will give breeders of noisy breeds the flexibility to develop viable breeding programs.
February 2010
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