Depriving a dog of their freedom to speak by "debarking" them is legal?

[magical thyme]

43. As a dog lover, I can't take sides on this

I'm not sure how dogs feel about being "de-barked." We may be horrified or dismayed by the sound of their voice after the procedure, but that doesn't mean they are bothered by it. Dogs and other animals overcome many serious disabilities with really good attitudes and general happiness.

I haven't met any de-barked dogs, so I don't have the experience of seeing how well adjusted and happy they are. But I suspect they do not live in misery or discomfort as a result. Rather the opposite. They go on with their lives and their people much as before.

I have 2 rescue dogs who are well-trained so barking is not an issue. My neighbor has a couple yappy dogs, but we are in the country and personally I consider them a great alarm. Nobody comes within about 4-600 feet of *either* of our houses without an alarm going off.

But if I lived in close quarters, I can understand how the yappiness could become a problem even to a dog-lover like me.

And to those who say they should "get rid of the dog," well, that does not bode well for that dog's future life or happiness. While there are some happy endings, the fact is that is too often the first step down a slide to the bottom of the heap, where euthanasia becomes the humane way out.