Debarking ban proposed in Rhode Island

Legislation introduced by Senator Ruggerio proposes to ban animal devocalization in the State of Rhode Island. Devocalization, or "debarking" is a surgery that permanently takes away the ability for dogs to bark and cats to meow, by removing their vocal cords. Risks in the procedure include difficulty breathing, chronic gagging, pneumonia and infection.

Calling it inhumane to take away an animal's voice for any reason other than medical urgency, Senate Majority Leader Dominick J. Ruggerio has introduced Bill 2012-S 2193 that will regulate the practice. "This act is inhumane for any animal to go through. It is more inhumane to realize that, most often, it is for the benefit of the pet’s owner or breeder. This act should be restricted to a medical necessity,” said Senator Ruggerio (D-Dist. 4, Providence, North Providence).

Senator Ruggerio pointed out owners that devocalize their pets do so for a variety of reasons, but more often they are commercial breeders who have dogs and cats devocalized for their own convenience. Devocalizing enables breeders to keep large numbers of pets in their home, with minimal noise.

In the United Kingdom and parts of Europe debarking is outlawed as a form of mutilation. Massachusetts became the first state in the United States to ban devocalization when the state enacted "Logan’s Law," named for a debarked sheepdog, in 2010.

Under the Ruggerio proposal, only licensed veterinarians in the state, using anesthesia, would be allowed to surgically debark or silence a dog or cat upon certification the procedure is medically necessary to treat or relieve an illness, disease or injury or correct a congenital abnormality that is causing harm or pain to the animal.

Any person found in violation would face a fine of $1,000 and could be barred by a court from owning or in possession of any animals and required to take humane education, pet ownership and dog training classes. Any person or business selling a dog or cat for profit would be required to disclose whether the animal has been devocalized and provide a veterinarian-signed certificate showing the procedure was done for medical necessity.

Co-sponsors of the bill include Sen. Rhoda E. Perry (D-Dist. 3, Providence), Sen. V. Susan Sosnowski (D-Dist. 37, New Shoreham, South Kingstown), Sen. John J. Tassoni Jr. (D-Dist. 22, Smithfield, North Smithfield) and Sen. Joshua Miller (D-Dist. 28, Cranston, Warwick). The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Environment & Agriculture.

Read Bill 2012-S 2193 here.