Please OPPOSE SB707. I am the Legislative Liaison for the VA Federation of Dog Clubs and Breeders. We were formed in 1971. We represent hobby breeders and kennel clubs across the state. We are affiliated with the American Kennel Club (AKC). SB707 wants to make it illegal for a qualified veterinarian to perform the life-saving procedure of softening a dog's bark. In other comments a vet has described this procedure. I own Shetland Sheepdogs (shelties), a herding breed known for their fondness for barking. They can't help it- they were bred this way over many decades to herd sheep on the vast and windy hills of the Shetland Islands. A loud bark carries a good distance and communicates with the sheep. A loud, frequent bark is not good in close-in urban settings. I live in Arlington and my neighbors are very close. All of my shelties over the last 20 years have had their barks softened. They bark a lot but their barks are low volume. My neighbors think they are great. They are happy, healthy dogs who excel at performance events like agility. Not all dogs are so lucky. A few years ago in Charleston, SC a dog showed up on a stranger's porch with her muzzle taped completely shut with black electrical tape. Her badly swollen tongue protruded between her jaws. The lower jaw was actually broken. Her face and head were badly swollen. She could not eat or drink. All because she barked too much. She was taken to the Charleston Animal Society . She was named Caitlyn. Over several years she was saved and brought back to health. Scars across her muzzle remained. Her final home was with the prosecuting attorney who got her abuser convicted. Her story is well documented on the web. How many other Caitlyns are out there that we don't know about. Please don't criminalize this life-saving procedure. If a specific veterinarian does not want to do it they don't have to. It is not necessary to ban it. PLEASE OPPOSE SB 707. Thank you, Alice Harrington, Legislative Liaison, VA Federation of Dog Clubs and Breeders.

Mr. Chair and Members of the Committee, The members and supporters of the Virginia Animal Owners Alliance urge you to AMEND SB 344. According to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, there are 127 current/active wildlife exhibitor permittees in the Commonwealth. At this time, the language of SB 344 does not recognize or provide an exemption for wildlife exhibitor permittees to hand-raise and trade their young animals. The General Assembly gave DWR the authority to issue these permits and annual reports are submitted by licensees every year. In spite of this very established system, certain legislative offices are completely unaware. These individuals/facilities have a working relationship with the Department and their personal veterinarians. An exemption for wildlife exhibitors must be added to the language of these bills. Without it, the legislation remains highly and obviously prejudiced towards law-abiding citizens. The wording on hybridization should be struck from this bill. It is built on the misinformation of PETA. Crossbreeding is a natural occurrence and a form of “genetic exchange.” It can play an important role in fortifying species and enables adaptations. It can promote disease resistance and has the potential to form new species. PETA is using a hybrid lemur that used to live at Natural Bridge Zoo as the basis for this proposed ban. This is completely ridiculous. If you do a little research into lemurs, you will discover that hybrid lemurs have been documented in the wild. These animals in particular are known to form hybrid zones and hybridization has been an important driver of their diversity. It is one reason that the island of Madagascar is so special. Lemurs are a prime example of why hybrids matter. Please amend this bill. The VAOA urges you to oppose SB 707. This legislative effort is attempting to criminalize veterinarians and dictate the every action of the pet owner. Whether you like the idea of bark softening or not, there are legitimate reasons that some owners make this decision for themselves and their pet. Supporters of this legislation argue that it is unnatural—but it is also unnatural to spay and neuter. In spite of this, most of us choose to have our pets fixed and they go on to lead very contented lives. The State is already scrutinizing owners for their decisions regarding their animal’s water, diet, vet care, and the choice of if/when to euthanize. These decisions should be carefully made between an owner and their veterinarian. This is no place for the government. The issue of bark softening is no different. Deciding to deem something illegal should never be taken lightly. Some prohibitions simply open up Pandora’s box and ultimately do more harm than good. They can also lead to a lot of unnecessary confusion. What kind of mechanism will be in place to ensure that those who have already chosen to have this procedure performed on their pets will not face prosecution? How will the State protect these owners so they do not face harassment by neighbors and animal control? This law could easily be applied in ways the sponsor does not intend. It is vulnerable to abuse. Please reject this bill. Heidi Crosky, Virginia Animal Owners Alliance

Members of the Agriculture committee, I appreciate your consideration of my comments. I am scheduled in back to back surgeries this morning at my practice and am unable to attend in person. I’m hoping to provide some clarity on the debarking procedure described in this bill and dispel some misinformation regarding this procedure. The debarking procedure is a simple, short (less than 5 minute) procedure in which a small notch is made in the vocal cord of the dog. The result is a softened bark. It does not eliminate the dog’s ability to vocalize (the term devocalization is a misnomer). Other dogs still respond as normal to the softened bark. The procedure is performed with pain relief during the procedure and to go home, and dogs rapidly recover and return to normal within an hour after the procedure. Rumors that it is done through the neck or with anything but a small surgical instrument are simply sowing controversy. This procedure has saved many dogs from euthanasia, rehoming, placement in a shelter or being subjected to “training” with collars that give the dog an electric shock every time it barks. Nuisance barking that is recalcitrant to any and all training methods can also be very disruptive to neighbors and result in people having to leave their homes or be evicted due to neighbor complaints. People with Traumatic Brain Injuries also often struggle with full volume barking and may have to rehome beloved companions and even service animals that could have remained with a softened bark. This procedure is never done lightly, amd is done very infrequently. The professional judgement of the veterinarian in charge of each case should be relied upon to make the decision on whether to bark soften. Painting every case with the same brush is folly, as it is for any medical procedure. I would request that you consider amending this bill to contain language that allows the procedure to be performed at the discretion of the veterinarian, in circumstances where training has failed or become inhumane. If the vote is delayed, I would be happy to discuss with any or all members of the committee in more detail. Again I appreciate your time, and careful consideration of your vote on this bill.

Members of the Agriculture committee, I appreciate your consideration of my comments. I am scheduled in back to back surgeries this morning at my practice and am unable to attend in person. I’m hoping to provide some clarity on the debarking procedure described in this bill and dispel some misinformation regarding this procedure. The debarking procedure is a simple, short (less than 5 minute) procedure in which a small notch is made in the vocal cord of the dog. The result is a softened bark. It does not eliminate the dog’s ability to vocalize (the term devocalization is a misnomer). Other dogs still respond as normal to the softened bark. The procedure is performed with pain relief during the procedure and to go home, and dogs rapidly recover and return to normal within an hour after the procedure. Rumors that it is done through the neck or with anything but a small surgical instrument are simply sowing controversy. This procedure has saved many dogs from euthanasia, rehoming, placement in a shelter or being subjected to “training” with collars that give the dog an electric shock every time it barks. Nuisance barking that is recalcitrant to any and all training methods can also be very disruptive to neighbors and result in people having to leave their homes or be evicted due to neighbor complaints. People with Traumatic Brain Injuries also often struggle with full volume barking and may have to rehome beloved companions and even service animals that could have remained with a softened bark. This procedure is never done lightly, amd is done very infrequently. The professional judgement of the veterinarian in charge of each case should be relied upon to make the decision on whether to bark soften. Painting every case with the same brush is folly, as it is for any medical procedure. I would request that you consider amending this bill to contain language that allows the procedure to be performed at the discretion of the veterinarian, in circumstances where training has failed or become inhumane. If the vote is delayed, I would be happy to discuss with any or all members of the committee in more detail. Again I appreciate your time, and careful consideration of your vote on this bill.

Good morning, My name is Nancy Fisk, I speak to you today on behalf of the dedicated dog owners and fanciers whose Kennel Clubs are represented by the Virginia Federation of Dog Clubs and Breeders, of which I am President. I stand opposed to S B 707, “Devocalization of Dogs, a prohibition.” The term Devocalization is misleading because when correctly performed by a veterinarian, the procedure does not devocalize dogs, but instead “Bark Softens” them. They continue to bark, however the noise level is reduced from a sharp, piercing sound. The dogs remain happy, healthy and able to bark as they had prior to the surgery, simply barking in a reduced, less piercing tone. The surgery is done only after attempts at behavior modification have failed. When done it often keeps well-loved pets in their homes . Many breeds, particularly herding breeds, are hardwired to bark because the behavior is part of jobs they were bred to do for centuries. This instinctive behavior is stronger in some dogs. and simply cannot be trained or condition out of them. Many owners of Collies and shelties, among other breeds, would have no recourse but to surrender or euthanize dogs that cause constant neighbor complaints, in spite of training attempts. These owners love their dogs and want to keep them in their homes but often find it impossible to do so. Dogs surrendered to shelters have difficulty finding new homes due to their persistent barking. The actual procedure is simple, nearly pain free and bloodless. It is done under injectable anesthesia , the surgery is performed orally by removing a small amount of tissue from the vocal folds with a biopsy tool, or often by laser. This tissue removal reduces the noise causing vibrations. Pain meds and sedatives are given for a few days for comfort, and to prevent any slight risk of scaring. The procedure takes less than ten minutes, with dogs recovering quickly. In fact, neutering and spaying are far more invasive and painful surgeries that people are encouraged to do to keep their pets safely in today’s environment. Please vote NO on SB 707, Allow Virginia’s concerned dog owners to make personal decisions in the best interest of their dogs, together with the advice of their veterinarian Do not demonize well trained Virginia veterinarians for helping these dogs/owners. Please Vote NO on SB707 Nancy Fisk, President. Virginia Federation of Dog Clubs and Breeders nancybfisk@aol.com