Now I've heard everything! Some people ask a veterinarian to devocalize their dogs. And some veterinarians do it. Devocalization is cutting the vocal chords so the dog can no longer bark. You might say that if it is the only way someone can keep a dog, you have to do it, but it better really be the last resort. According to Care2 website: "This procedure creates serious health risks for the animals, including hemorrhaging, coughing, gagging, aspiration, trouble swallowing, and problems breathing. The growth of scar tissue is also common, subjecting the animal to the pain and stress of more surgeries. Devocalization does not fix problems at home or change the animal's needs. Furthermore, devocalization leaves pets unable to communicate when something is wrong, which may put them and/or humans in harm. A proposed bill in Massachusetts would ban canine devocalization in all cases except when it 'is medically necessary to treat or relieve an illness, disease or injury, or correct a congenital abnormality that is causing or will cause the dog or cat medical harm or pain.'"

There are other devices you can buy that will help control barking or just patiently working with your dog to tell her when she can bark and when she doesn't have to is another alternative. You can also ask at the shelter who the barkers are when you go to adopt and choose a quiet dog.

I would not want devocalization done to me (although my husband might like it for me), and actually the idea of it is very creepy. I met a woman once who had two dogs she'd had devocalized, and it was just so wrong. She was also the idiot who said that I had to take my nice dog to therapy training to visit nursing homes. Before the know-it-alls got involved, we had been going for many years and brought a lot of happiness. I knew my dog was not a biter, had her shots, and was kind. I proved her shots by showing the paperwork to the director and we were all set. Then all of a sudden, the rules began. This woman said that we did not walk on a leash together correctly. Oh, please. All we wanted to do was spend a few hours a week bringing happiness to the prisoners of a nursing home and a smile to someone's face. We were not in the Westminster Dog Show.

That reminds me of another example of interference by the 'rules police.' Since I worked for a vet, every spring I would raise baby birds brought in by clients. There were so many kind people who rescued little birds, but they did not have the time to raise them. I learned to feed them a mix of water and dog food. You use the solid canned dog food, not anything with gravy. You must never put water directly down a baby bird's throat, so you mix it into a paste. You can use your finger or a small stick to put the food down the throat. You have to feed every hour from dawn to dusk at first and as they grow, you can wait two and then four hours between feedings. It is a dedication. You even have to take the babies around with you all day long. So I did this and was quite successful. Of course, some died as they would have in nature. After raising Barbara, Darlene, Maria, Chris, Paul, and Grace, a rehabilitator told me I had to have a license to do this. What?! Why? I think the rehabilitators of wildlife are great, but these were baby birds, not baby skunks or injured eagles. There is no way there are enough rehabers to take care of all the birds that come into to vet's offices every spring. I did a good job of it and of course never mentioned that I was doing it again. Too many rules.