August 29, 2007

DOGS BARK TONED DOWN BY OPERATION (Nov, 1936)

Filed under: Dogs, General — @ 12:01 am
Source: Popular Science ( More articles from this issue )
Issue: Nov, 1936
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Poor dog. Do vets still do this?

DOGS BARK TONED DOWN BY OPERATION
Toning down the barking of noisy dogs is the reported accomplishment of an Atlanta, Ga., veterinarian, who has performed the feat upon the pets of a number of apartment dwellers. In the simple, painless operation that he has devised, a dog’s vocal cord is relieved of a small V-shaped wedge on either side. No danger to the animal is involved, it is said, and the only after effect is that an ear-splitting bark is muffled to a dulcet tone that can cause no complaints from neighbors. In the photo at left, a pet is under treatment.

7 Comments »

Yes. It’s call “debarking.” Less than scrupulous puppy mill breeders just use a length of re-bar. If the dog survives, then it won’t bark anymore.

Comment by Ric — August 29, 2007 @ 6:51 am
“Painless” my foot. Wonder how that vet would feel if somebody grabbed him, forced open his mouth, stuck a knife down his throat and started snipping.

Comment by Jim Dunn — August 29, 2007 @ 11:23 am
Cruel perhaps, but like de-clawing a cat sometimes it is the last step before having to give up the animal altogether.

No, I haven’t debarked my dogs, but they do have to wear a shock collar EVERY night to keep them quiet. Nothing else works to keep them quiet to everyone around can sleep.

Comment by Thundercat — August 29, 2007 @ 12:53 pm
yup. it’s still done. I’ve only ever met a debarked dog once (in 5 years) and then it was most certainly a last step that kept a very well loved animal from being surrendered, and not a decision that was taken lightly.

Comment by Erika — August 30, 2007 @ 5:33 am
fuck.that.shit.

HAVE THESE PEOPLE NO HEARTS!!!??

Comment by person — September 10, 2007 @ 8:03 pm
Its so sad.. I could never do this to one of my dogs!! But sadly it still happens today.

Comment by Heidi — December 7, 2007 @ 9:35 am
I adopted a wonderful border collie who I found had been debarked. Breaks my heart when I think of him losing his voice the way he did.

Comment by dascoyne — April 21, 2008 @ 2:36 pm