Huge network of animal hospitals (PetsMart) bans tail docking, ear cropping, & devocalization

[Liberal_in_LA]

Banfield is associated with PetMart

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-07-30-dog-tails_N.htm?csp=24&RM_Exclude=Juno

Banfield pet hospitals ban tail docking, ear cropping on dogs

By Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY

Banfield, The Pet Hospital, the nation's largest network of animal hospitals, has announced it will no longer do tail docking, ear cropping or devocalization on dogs.

Headquartered in Portland, Ore., Banfield is the nation's largest general veterinary practice, with more than 730 hospitals and 2,000 veterinarians nationwide.

Devocalization, or de-barking, is a rare procedure and has long been controversial. It involves the full or partial removal of a dog's vocal chords to keep it from barking.

Tail docking and ear cropping, both quite common, have become more controversial over the past few years. Last year, the American Veterinary Medical Association passed a resolution opposing ear cropping and tail docking of dogs, "when done solely for cosmetic purposes," and encouraging the elimination of ear cropping and tail docking from breed standards.

Banfield has come out strongly against the procedures.

"After thoughtful consideration and reviewing medical research, we have determined it is in the best interest of the pets we treat, as well as the overall practice, to discontinue performing these unnecessary cosmetic procedures," says Karen Faunt, vice president for medical quality advancement. "It is our hope that this new medical protocol will help reduce, and eventually eliminate, these cosmetic procedures altogether."

The hospitals will continue to carry out the surgeries on pets for which it is medically necessary, she says.

[Donnachaidh]

1. removing vocal chords to keep them from barking??? WTF???

What is the POINT of having a dog that cannot bark? Buy a frigging statue of one, you heartless bastards!!!!!! :grr: :grr: :grr:

[CountAllVotes]

3. I had a dog that was debarked

my god, how very sad it was. I did not know she was debarked until after I had her for awhile; her "bark" was a muted tone. She also had great difficulty swallowing/eating from this procedure. She had been horribly abused as well and did not live long after I got her. :(

It is commonly done in puppy mills fyi. They do it so you cannot hear the cries of the dogs/puppies being not cared for.

It is the sickest thing I can think of to do to a dog. They are trying to ban this procedure in some states but in many states it is legal.

:dem:

[Donnachaidh]

8. I had never heard of this -- it's repulsive to even think of doing that to a dog!

Our family pet is half chihuahua, half poodle, and she's known to get a wee bit mouthy at times. She also talks to me, mumble/growls at the cats to fake them out, etc. Her *voice* is part of her. Jesus, how would these humans like their voiceboxes ripped out because they talked too much as children?

People who pay to have that procedure done on a dog need to have a big boot to the head. It's sick.

[CountAllVotes]

11. they have several ways of doing it

most commonly (puppy mill method) is to shove a hot rod down the throat (that shuts them up real quick!).

There are also veterinarians that do this as well. They often cut holes in the vocal cords, thus a "muted bark" is what you hear. Also, just fyi, an anesthetic is not even used. :grr: :mad: :argh: !!

Regardless of how it is done, I think it is brutal and any veterinarian that is doing this to dogs should have their license revoked.

I am working on this issue and have been since I had the poor dog that was so abused.

I swore on her dead body that she did not die in vain and that I would work and work to put these evil fuckers doing this out of business.

I have had some success fyi. :)

:dem:

[Inuca]

33. Speechless

disguting beyond words... And thanks for doing something to against this horror.

[mrs_p]

35. veterinarians DO use anesthesia during

debarking. i don't agree with it myself, but when i was a vet tech, our doctor used a general anesthetic.

edit: spelling

[CountAllVotes]

43. many do not

they think that using fentanyl is wrong, dead wrong.

In some states they think it is best to do the job and don't feed the dog for a few days instead.

Join a few of these dog breeder lists and you'll see I am right. IDIOTS!

[mrs_p]

46. Dog breeders, maybe

but vets, no -- general anesthesia is part of the procedure. and fentanyl is used as a pain killer, not as a general.

[CountAllVotes]

48. the one I caught

was doing in an outdoor setting at the rate of 6 per hr. A ten minute job and no anesthetic! Said vet is out of business last I heard!

[mrs_p]

50. and should be

s/he probably lost his/her license for being a shitty doctor. that is NOT the rule. the procedure calls for a general, and that is what most vets do (if they do the procedure at all). the ones that do still debark, do it b/c if a client wants it badly enough, they will find a way. their philosophy is that at least they know the dog will get good care and not be subject to shitheads like the one you caught.

[CountAllVotes]

52. no

said vet lost the license because it is illegal in the region where the vet is located, that is why!

Bastards are greedy fucks! 6 dogs an hr. @ $150.00 a pop!

Adds up fast! $5,000 in for a short afternoon of butchery!

[mrs_p]

56. well, then the law took care of him

i think it is wrong to disparage vets who do this procedure because you know of one (maybe two) who have done as your example did. i was a tech for 7 years before heading to vet school where i am now. we are taught (and tested) that this procedure requires anesthesia. any vet not using it should be reported, and i'm glad you are watching.

[CountAllVotes]

58. I am watching alright

& I will continue to "watch" until I can no longer see. :grr: :argh: :mad:

[superduperfarleft]

62. Any vet who mutilates an animal deserves to be disparaged.

I don't care if they use anesthesia or not.

[mrs_p]

63. well, some argue that

neutering and spaying is mutilation. would you agree?

[redqueen]

67. They're ignorant. There is a good reason to spay and neuter. (nt)

[imdjh]

109. She's right though, there is a "movement" out there of people who won't spay, won't vaccinate, ...

...won't fence, and don't do vets. They seem to imagine that they are facilitating the dog living a somewhat natural life, owed to them because we humans have destroyed their habitat and their ability to live in the wild.

Almost as crazy are the folks who won't feed their cats meat or fish, because they are vegetarians.

[superduperfarleft]

72. Spaying and neutering is to prevent the ever-increasing numbers of homeless animals.

Debarking is to prevent a self-centered shithead from having to listen to a dog bark.

If you got sick of your baby crying, would you remove its vocal cords?

[mrs_p]

81. i NEVER said debarking was alright

i was stating a FACT that general anesthesia is part of the procedure when a poster said vets don't use it.

[superduperfarleft]

84. You: "i think it is wrong to disparage vets who do this procedure"

I'm not the only one who misinterpreted if you were disagreeing with it.

[mrs_p]

89. i am against it

as i have already stated - but enough already - keep flaming me. i actually have animal lives to save instead of fight with people on this board...

[Obama2012]

91. Super vet student to the rescue!

Dun dun DUUNN!!!!

[redqueen]

68. Vets shouldn't be doing these procedures at all.

But anything for a buck, I guess.

[Obama2012]

74. Let me know when you're out of vet school

So I know to never let you work on my animals.

I can't believe you honestly think debarking is okay.

[superduperfarleft]

76. #1 rule of DU: if there is something horrible that is done to animals...

Someone on DU will defend it.

[Obama2012]

77. Yeah, I've seen that quite a bit already

[mrs_p]

80. well, let me know if

you are ever an english teacher so i never send my kids to you as you have some kind of comprehension problem

i said CLEARLY above that i don't believe in debarking - i was stating a FACT that vets use anesthesia when a poster said they do not.

[Obama2012]

83. You said, "It's wrong to disparage vets who do this"

Your words.

[mrs_p]

86. i never said i was in favor of debarking, though

i said above "veterinarians DO use anesthesia during debarking. i don't agree with it myself, but when i was a vet tech, our doctor used a general anesthetic." but, you knew that... and as this procedure is legal in many areas, and if my colleagues do it for a client, then i will not disparage them as they are following the law and doing the procedure as humanely as possible.

[Obama2012]

90. It's within my rights to disparage a vet who provides an inhumane procedure

You, apparently, think just because it's legal, whether or not it's humane is a moot point.

[mrs_p]

95. please don't tell me what i think

i don't think it is a moot point - and i appreciate your opinion. though, i think your post saying to let you know when i'm out of school so you don't ever bring your animals to me was rather snarky. but, as you say, it is your right.

enough of this, good-bye

[Alameda]

103. I understood what you said. Don't let them rile you up.

[Alameda]

104. Mrs P did not say she thought debarking was OK....in fact she

expressed she did not.

[The Doctor.]

108. I would have certainly seen to that 'out of business' thing too...

My teen's stepfather 'de-barked' his dog.

He's long known the difference between his stepfather and the real dad he lives with.

Dogs bark for a reason, and we are blessed by evolution for it.

[Inuca]

32. In an ideal world

people who want to do this do their dogs would have their dogs taken away from them.

[mrs_p]

39. half chihuahua and half poodle?

standard poodle? this requires pictures!!

[Donnachaidh]

102. no, half long-haired chihuahua and half toy poodle

Think along the Benji look and that's her. And she smiles too.

[Blue_Tires]

65. I remember in the novel "The Andromeda Strain"

the guards at the super-secret research base would release guard dogs at night that couldn't bark presumably so an intruder wouldn't hear them coming...i had NEVER ever heard of this being used in real life...

[Obama2012]

2. Good for them

I don't have a problem with tail docking on certain working dogs, but you know, only if they're going to work the dog. Just for looks should be illegal.

They also ought to stop declawing cats, which is illegal in a lot of Europe. It the equivilent of cutting all of your fingers off at the top joint.

[blondeatlast]

4. Another evil corporation imposing its will on the American people. GOOD FOR BANFIELD!

My pound rescued soft-coated Wheaten Terrier should be docked and cropped, but she has beautiful floppy ears and a most glorious tail.

[pleah]

5. K&R This should have been done long ago. n/t

[Solly Mack]

6. K&R

[Orwellian_Ghost]

7. K&R

[Gold Metal Flake]

9. Tail docking...

This is the tail of an English Springer Spaniel:



This is what the AKC requires be done with it:


My Springer had his tail, and it was beautiful. A stump, not so much.

As for debarking, it is what assholes do to their dogs instead of walking them, exercising them and training them. A dog left alone often becomes a nuisance barker, but when complaints pile up the asshole owner would prefer to mutilate the dog and then ignore it some more.

[blondeatlast]

19. My soft-coated Wheaten (pound pup) has her glorious tail.

It's just beautiful and when she walks with it up in the air people stop to comment on it. If she were actually working, I could almost make a case for it--but Wheatens, wesp. soft-coated ones, are NOT bred for working anymore, they are terrific pets.

And as to debarking--exactly. Too many are not willing to take the time required to have a really good pet.

[Obama2012]

22. The AKC is a sick organization

Field lines of springer spaniels look like an entirely different breed than the AKC show ones.

[CountAllVotes]

47. I agree

the AKC approves of it, I know that much. They are a greedy lot and they attend the dog auctions and register the dogs/puppies sold that are debarked already and then after that, not only do they make money, they advertise as well.

AKC is full o'shit!

[MountainLaurel]

23. How beautiful!!

My springer girl is docked, and we've often wondered what her tail would have looked like.

[Arkansas Granny]

25. I had a spaniel once whose tail had not been docked. It was a lovely tail and

and it suited her looks. She was probably a mixed breed with spaniel tendencies (I rescued her as a pup from the middle of the street) and not a purebred dog. I got so accustomed to seeing her with a tail that spaniels with docked tails look strange to me now.

[Inuca]

31. I have a springer spaniel

got him as a puppy, he just turned 9. The bottom picture could be the bottom of my baby, I am still sorry he had no tail when I got him.

I assume the top picture is of your dog: gorgeous picture and gorgeous dog.

[Gold Metal Flake]

37. The top pix is from the net.

I would have to dig for pix of my boy. He was larger, about 75 lbs trim. Black & white with spots, beautiful dog. Had problems with hot spots as the breed sometimes does. Tireless swimmer. When running in fields chasing imaginary rabbits or tossed balls (or when actually working)they hold the tails up like a flag as a locating device for their masters.

[Berry Cool]

10. OMG, USA Today spelled it "chords."

It's not "chords," it's CORDS.

They are actual vocal CORDS, not "chords," as in music.

One of the most common and stupid misspellings out there, and their "journalists" and copy editors don't see it.

Edit: I do want to commend the clinics for this decision. Sometimes I wonder why people even bother to get animals. It's like they want a pet, but only after they customize it to look and behave exactly as they please. If there's a problem, they'd rather mutilate it than figure out how to solve the problem in a way that recognizes they are dealing with a fellow living creature.

[Gold Metal Flake]

13. Because when strummed in threes they make a mellifluous sound.

USA Today. Because a great nation deserves a great wad of brightly-colored toilet paper.

[redqueen]

14. I'm starting to think

that spell check is all that serves as a copy editor these days.

[MountainLaurel]

26. You're not far off

Newspapers have been slashing their copyediting staffs left and right.

Not that USA Today and the Gannett McPapers had been known for their high quality work before.

[Liberal_in_LA]

17. lol

[redqueen]

12. All this stuff is banned in the UK...

along with declawing cats.

We should try to catch up.

[CountAllVotes]

54. I agree!!

it should all be outlawed with staunch penalties for any just action taken against a dog/cat. It sickens me so much that I continue to work at this to STOP THIS SHIT!

:kick:

[glinda]

98. Yes. They show natural dogs many times in shows. Declawing should be banned also.

Go Banfield!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:yourock: :yourock: :yourock:

[CountAllVotes]

15. Petition on line to stop this shit ...

right here (please sign!):

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/522872311

:kick:

[OnyxCollie]

16. I hate debarking.

An irresponsible breeder I know debarks her dogs. They're kept outside in kennels all day long, never given a chance to run and play.

I like to see Dobermans and Rottweilers with ears and tails as they should be.

[CountAllVotes]

51. that "breeder" requires a new name

how about puppy miller? This is how they treat the dog in puppy mills.

I wouldn't recommend anyone buy a dog from anyone these days.

Try your local shelter.

[sinkingfeeling]

18. Good news, but I'd never take a pet to a Banfield clinic. Know of a dog they diagnosed with diabetes

and then promptly killed by giving it 10 times the insulin dose. Should have gotten 6 IUs and was given 60.

[mrs_p]

42. eek

was it actually in the chart to give the dog 60? or 6.0? the vet tech probably read it wrong if the latter is true - and i'm sure feels absolutely horrible about it. the problem i have with banfield is that they are a major corporation - and as such they have a "get them in and get them out" attitude - not all the vets and techs, mind you - the corporation itself. i personally would never work for them as a tech or a vet.

[sinkingfeeling]

59. All I know is the owner has joined a class lawsuit against them. The vet tech actually instructed

the owner and argued that the 60 mark on the syringe was for 6.0 IUs.

[mrs_p]

64. that's awful

[superduperfarleft]

78. So is debarking. n/t

[mrs_p]

82. on which i agree

you'd know if you read what i said above

[superduperfarleft]

85. "i think it is wrong to disparage vets who do this procedure" n/t

[mrs_p]

87. i'm sure you also

read where i said i didn't believe in it myself...

[Obama2012]

92. You don't believe in it, you just stick up for vets who do it

[Liberal_in_LA]

20. My rescued cat has a little tip of one ear cut off. The animal rescuers have it done to feral cats.

that's not ear cropping right? Doesn't seem to hurt her. Just the little bitty tip is gone.

[CountAllVotes]

21. I have a cat like that too

he is from a rescue. He is now almost 9 years old and he still absolutely HATES it when you try to touch him on his head (he freaks out).

Cats do not forget.

BASTARDS.

:kick:

[Obama2012]

24. That's different (and it's done for a purpose)

Ear cropping is cutting parts of the ears off on floppy-eared dogs to make their ears stand up straight.

[Gold Metal Flake]

38. What is the purpose on rescued feral cats?

Just as an FYI for me, I had not heard of it.

[Obama2012]

41. Well, usually the cats they do it to don't end up in homes, because they're too wild

But with feral cat colonies, they trap the cats and bring them in to get spayed/neutered, then when the release them, they cut the tip of one ear off. It's done to make sure they don't re-trap the cat, and cut her open, only to find out she already got spayed a year ago.

[Gold Metal Flake]

57. Ah! The engineer inside me says "brilliant!'.

[Lisa0825]

71. We have tamed hundreds of feral cats at the rescue I work with.

Most feral cats CAN be tamed. It just takes lots of love, patience, and yummy treats! :loveya:

[Obama2012]

75. I agree

I used to have a pretty wild one myself. It's just that most of the time those resources aren't available.

And yay! for you working in rescue.

:thumbsup::thumbsup:

We need more people like you.

[Liberal_in_LA]

107. I have a tame feral and a mostly tame feral

[FarCenter]

100. Feral cats are major predators of song birds

Some of which are endangered species. Why on earth would you ever release a feral cat?

[LeftyMom]

106. Because there aren't enough homes to take all of them.

:shrug:

[WolverineDG]

96. To show that they have been spayed/neutered

if there is an active Trap/Neuter/Release program in the community, they will notch one of the ears (while the cat is still under) so that if it gets trapped again, it doesn't get another free ride to the vet.

dg

[FarCenter]

27. It is easy enough to do this yourself

I've never docked tails or cropped ears.

But my dad always castrated piglets and calves and dehorned calves himself.

Piglets ears were notched to identify which piglets went with which sow. Piglets also got rings in their noses to keep them from rooting under the fences.

[mrs_p]

44. do it yourself-ers

often cause more damage to the dogs - i've seen numerous cases of tail-docking and ear-cropping gone wrong. it's different with piglets.

[FarCenter]

101. Ear cropping is likely more difficult than docking

Tail docking at 4 or 5 days old should be pretty straightforward.

Castrating piglets is not so easy. If you do it wrong and they herniate, they will typically die. Also, chances of infection would seem to be higher from a larger open wound.

[Inuca]

28. Devocalization?!?!? Never heard of that

WHat a horrid, horrid idea.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

29. Rotties with tails and Dobermans with floppy ears...

ewwwww. No thanks.

[Obama2012]

30. Ewwwww...mutiliation

[Lisa0825]

36. People with no compassion.... ewwwwwwww. nt

edited to add:

(Thanks, Katie!)

[WolverineDG]

97. ITA

the stupid is strong in this thread.

dg

[arikara]

53. We had a dobie with her ears intact

She was beautiful. Why mutilate any creature for cosmetic purposes.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

69. What is so "ewwww"...

about this, hm?






Looks great to me. :shrug:

[redqueen]

70. Welcome to DU. (nt)

[Ignis]

88. Then they couldn't be your macho accessory?

Gosh, that's a shame. :thumbsdown:

[superduperfarleft]

94. Wow, I didn't realize that Michael Vick posted on this board. n/t

[Eyerish]

34. K&R

[KittyWampus]

40. DeVocalization?! OMG, I am going to be sick after I punch something.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

45. Fantastic fantastic fantastic!!!!!!!!

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

I have always despised the practice -- dogs are born just fine as they are, thank you very much.

A friend has several teacup yorkies who have been badly, badly docked -- no tail left to speak of, just a tiny little stump of flesh. :( I found a picture of a yorkie with its tail intact and showed it to her -- she had never seen one before!

[RebelOne]

49. I have a Rottweiler that I inherited from a friend when she

was 2 years old. Her tail was docked completely. Hardly a little stub. I would never do that to a dog.

[Orsino]

55. I haven't thought much of Banfield in the past, but this is great. n/t

[followthemoney]

60. I had a cat that would howl all night and I would joke about...

having its vocal chords cut. I had no idea that was ever really done!

I gave my cat to my deaf neighbors who loved it. It was match made in heaven!

[Dogtown]

61. K&R n/t

[Hell Hath No Fury]

66. This is MUCH better!

Dogs who kept their tails and are much better for it:

[Lisa0825]

79. Gorgeous pups!!!!

:loveya:

[Pharlo]

73. The first Doberman I ever had (late 1970's),

I took it in to get the ears cropped, and the vet wouldn't do it. She told me that if I absolutely wanted it done, she'd give me a list of vets in the area who would do it. Naturally, I asked her why she wouldn't do it. Well, by the time she finished explaining it to me, I was talked out of the procedure. I had one Doberman Pinscher afterwards whose ears I kept intact also. I would have liked them with their tails, but that procedure is done long before the pups are sold.

To me, Doberman Pinschers with their ears cropped just look strange.

[Dutch]

93. Fantastic. All these sick practices should be banned completely when for cosmetic purposes.

[REP]

99. Think I'll go to Petsmart today!

This is terrific news. I like them having easily-available pet clinics (and while I use another vet for treatment, I do buy Rx food through Banfield, and know their prices are reasonable), and this is excellent. I think the cats need more toys.

[Withywindle]

105. Good for them!

They shouldn't be doing that barbaric shit anyway - especially the devocalizing, jesus wept!--but I'm glad it's now an official policy.

I hope they don't declaw cats either. My vet won't, and she has choice words for people who try to get it done.

[Maru Kitteh]

110. K and FUCKIN' A! ... ... . I mean R.

Great news. Docking and cropping (for "cosmetic" appearances} is just sick.