It seems like the debate over whether debarking a dog is cruel often comes down to this:
“You may think it’s horrible,” she said. “But if I had to give up my dog or get the surgery, I would choose the surgery.”
It’s a hard point to fault. Most owners are aware when they get a dog that the dog will bark. But some dogs turn out to be really, really good at it. And while the owner cycles through various remedies, the dog just keeps barking. Eventually someone complains and the owner must make a decision: Give up the dog or give up the dog’s vocal cords.
What do you think? If the owner has made meaningful efforts to curb the barking and it comes down to a choice, would you rather see the dog rehomed/surrendered to a shelter or have debark surgery?