Both the New York Assembly and Senate will likely soon vote on legislation to ban “debarking” – a standard veterinary practice also known as bark softening – unless the procedure is medically necessary to treat an injury, illness, or congenital defect.
The AKC opposes the portion of Assembly Bill 8551/Senate Bill 3026 which would restrict the rights of responsible dog owners to make viable, safe decisions on behalf of their pets in conjunction with their veterinarians.
New York residents are strongly encouraged to contact their State Senator and State Assemblymember today to express your concerns with A. 8551 and S. 3026. Visit the AKC Legislative Action Center at www.akcgr.org and click on the “Elected Officials” box on the home page to get the names and contact information for your state lawmakers.
Talking Points:
Debarking, or “bark softening” is a veterinary procedure that humanely softens a dog’s bark. The dog may still bark, but at a softer volume. When performed correctly by a licensed veterinarian, the procedure is non-invasive, takes just a couple minutes to perform, and has no lasting negative effects. In certain circumstances, this procedure could be the difference between the dog being sent to a shelter or staying in a loving home when all other training attempts have failed.
Debarking should only be performed by a qualified veterinarian after behavioral efforts to correct a dog’s excessive barking have failed. As with other veterinary medical decisions, the decision to debark a dog is best left to individual owners and their veterinarians. AKC supports the portion of the bill that bans individuals from performing these procedures.
Visit the key issue page in the AKC Government Relations Legislative Action Center for more information, AKC’s official position on this issue, as well as other talking points.
AKC Government Relations (AKC GR) will continue to closely monitor this legislation and provide updates as they become available. For questions or more information, contact AKC GR at doglaw@akc.org.