Assemb. Chad Lupinacci, R-Huntington Station, and Assemb. Andrew Raia, R-East Northport, recently voted to ban the practice of animal devocalization.
They were joined by the entire Long Island Minority Conference delegation in voting to outlaw the surgical procedure meant to silence a pet's vocalizations, such as debarking or softening the bark in dogs.
“Devocalization of a dog or cat isn’t just a short-term fix, but can create long-term consequences for an animal," said Lupinacci. "Many view their pets as part of the family, and to put them through a potentially life-threatening surgery without medical cause is cruel. I thank my colleagues on behalf of cat and dog lovers everywhere."
“Pets are members of our families that we develop life long bonds with,” said Raia. “It’s a basic moral principle that harm should not be done to anyone or anything for the mere convenience of another. A malicious procedure like devocalizing dogs and cats for the sake of accommodation has no place in our society.”
What do you think? Do you think the procedure is cruel? Do you think it should be banned?
Tell us in the comment section.
