Debarking: Barbaric or Saving Grace...

Everyone's been in a situation at some point when there's a dog barking somewhere and it simply won't stop. Whether you're sitting at a bar, watching TV at home, sitting in a park or at work, eventually it gets annoying. Dog debarking is a procedure which removes this problem for the worst offenders, but activists call it barbaric torture, while various animal interest groups and owners say it's simply a last-resort-saving-grace for pets which have no other option. Would you rather face problems like eviction or the need to get rid of a dog because of barking or undergo the controversial procedure so you can hold onto your beloved pet? Take a look...
http://vitals.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/25/14677222-dog-debarking-policy-at-avma-raises-activists-howls-of-protest?lite

I can definitely see the issue. The procedure could definitely help in a case where a dog simply will not stop barking and an owner either has to get rid of the dog or do this. I suppose the question becomes, does the procedure cause more suffering than would putting the dog up for adoption, releasing it, or euthanizing it? Does banning the practice increase the number of dogs euthanized or released and is that OK?

HOWEVER...I can also see owners using this as a cop-out to training and being patient. Dogs bark...it's just what they do...yet some owners have it in their heads that you can turn your pet into a statue because it's more convenient for them. I would hate to see dogs silenced in this way simply because it's easier for the owner to deal with.

And if the procedure really is damaging, then I suppose I support and understand the "get rid of it" side as well. The article didn't give too much professional opinion on it's side-effects, so that's a bit hard to judge if the activists are over-reacting to something they don't understand or if the supporters are ignoring the facts. It seems like a problem that depends on who's using the procedure. If it's being used as a last resort to euthanasia and doesn't really hurt the animal long-term, that's one thing...but if the majority of procedures are by lazy owners who want a perfect pet, then that's wrong.

I'd like to see a follow-up on this sometime soon...