Outcry after HDB suggestion to debark noisy dogs

Today Online 28 Aug 14;

SINGAPORE — The Housing and Development Board (HDB) has apologised for “causing anxiety” to dog owners and removed a HDB notice that listed debarking as an option to manage excessive dog barking, after the notice drew an outcry from animal welfare groups and animal lovers.

Noting that the notice “does not reflect accurately the position we take”, the HDB said: “The notice had meant to seek the assistance of dog owners to help manage the issue of excessive dog barking at an Ang Mo Kio block, arising from complaints received. We agree it should have been handled more sensitively, and the notice has since been taken down.”

The HDB added that when residents complain about excessive dog barking, “we have always advised and counselled dog owners to manage their pets’ barking and behaviour through obedience training”.

“Debarking should only be considered by pet owners as a last resort when all other measures, especially training, are ineffective and only if the dog owner considers it an option.”

The notice, issued by the HDB’s Ang Mo Kio Branch on Friday (Aug 22), lists the surgical procedure — in which a section of a dog’s vocal chords is removed to reduce the volume of its bark — alongside two other options available to owners: Obedience training and the use of training collars.

Various animal welfare groups criticised the suggestion to debark dogs.

Action for Dogs Singapore (ASD) posted on its Facebook page that while it agreed with the basic premise of the notice that consideration for neighbours is “paramount”, it “strongly objects to point #3 of ‘debarking your dog through surgery’”.

“This is an extremely cruel and painful procedure of removing the vocal chords which can cause constant physical pain. A dog also barks when it is in a stressed or anxious mode, and not hearing the dog does not mean the dog is in a stable state of mind. That can lead to further behavioural issues such as aggression and separation anxiety,” ASD said.

The group added: “Such recommendations should not be publicly put out without due advice from experts as it sets a wrong mindset that such solutions are ethical or safe.”

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), Singapore issued a statement saying the recommendation to debark pet animals is “disappointing”

“The surgery usually leaves the animal with something between a wheeze and a squeak, and we find that highly objectionable and surely at least mentally cruel to the animal,” said SPCA’s Executive Director Corinne Fong. She noted that countries such as the United Kingdom have expressly prohibited debarking.

Ms Fong also took issue with the suggestion to use a training collar, saying the electric collar “is already considered illegal as an abusive tool in countries such as Finland and Wales and in the Canadian province of Quebec”.

“Shock or electric collars are devices placed around a dog’s neck connected to handheld transmitters which remotely deliver varying levels of electric shock to the dog’s neck. They are designed to provide an aversive stimulus to a dog as a punishment or correction from its trainer or owner, and cause the animal pain and fear,” she said.

When contacted, Dr Heng Yee Ling from Mount Pleasant Animal Medical Centre (Redhill) said the clinic does not debark dogs “because there are better and more humane ways to control the dog, like behaviour training”.

Many respondents to ASD’s post on Facebook felt that the recommendation was inhumane, or did not address the root cause of the issue: That of owners being unable to discipline their pets.

Facebook user Rebekah Charmixy Jay wrote: “The issue is the owners ability to discipline and train their dog, not the dog having the ability to bark.”

Another user, Margaret Mchardy, said, “Appalling. How can a dog be happy without the ability to express itself fully?”

Facebook user Amos Ong, however, felt that the matter was blown out of proportion. He wrote: “It’s not a directive, it’s a suggestion...No one is forcing you to go with option 3. You make your own choice based on your individual situation to resolve the existing nuisance issue.”

HDB suggestion to debark noisy dogs angers animal rights groups
Paul Lim Today Online 29 Aug 14;

SINGAPORE — A Housing and Development Board (HDB) notice on excessive dog barking that listed the option of surgically debarking dogs as a solution has drawn the ire of animal welfare groups, prompting the agency to take down the notice and apologise.

The notice, which was posted at a HDB block on Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5, was dated Aug 22. In the notice, the housing authority said it had received feedback about dog barking in the middle of the night. “A dog barking excessively can become a nuisance to your neighbours. It could disturb their sleep or affect their work or study,” the HDB said.

It suggested that dog owners who cannot control their pets from barking consider obedience training, using training collars to control them or debarking, which involves the removal of a dog’s vocal cords through surgery.

A photograph of the notice was posted online yesterday by Action for Singapore Dogs (ASD), which described debarking as an “extremely cruel and painful procedure” that can cause constant physical pain.

“A dog also barks when it is in a stressed or anxious mode, and not hearing the dog does not mean the dog is in a stable state of mind,” it said. “Such recommendations should not be publicly put out without due advice from experts as it sets a wrong mindset that such solutions are ethical or safe.”

In a statement, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) executive director Corinne Fong said debarking usually leaves the animal “with something between a wheeze and a squeak”. “Many veterinarians refuse to do the surgery on ethical grounds. Those who do rarely advertise it,” she said, adding that the procedure is prohibited in the United Kingdom and in some American states.

Added Dr Heng Yee Ling of Mount Pleasant Vets: “We do not do debarking because there are better and more humane ways to control a dog, such as behaviour training.”

The SPCA also objected to the recommendation to use training collars, which work by delivering electric shocks to the dog to correct behaviour.

In a response to media queries, the HDB apologised for causing anxiety to dog owners. “We agree it should have been handled more sensitively, and the notice has since been taken down,” it said.

It also said the notice did not accurately reflect its position. “When residents complain about excessive dog barking, we have always advised and counselled dog owners to manage their pets’ barking and behaviour through obedience training. Debarking should be considered by pet owners only as a last resort when all other measures, especially training, are ineffective, and only if the owner considers it an option,” it said.

ASD president Ricky Yeo said a framework was needed to ensure that a complaint about incessant barking is substantiated. “People also have to understand that changes will not happen overnight. A certain tolerance level should be accepted,” he said. “There needs to be a certain yardstick that everyone lives by. We all live in a very close area, so we have to learn to accommodate and compromise.”

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY LAURA PHILOMIN

HDB retracts notice asking residents to consider 'debarking' noisy dogs
Channel NewsAsia 28 Aug 14;

SINGAPORE: The Housing and Development Board (HDB) said a notice put up in Ang Mo Kio, advising residents to possibly 'debark' their dogs if they make too much noise, does not accurately reflect its position.

The notice had listed debarking as one option, alongside obedience training sessions and training collars, to manage the problem of excessive barking by dogs, which HDB says, could become a nuisance to neighbours. It went viral on social media, with some animal lovers labelling the suggestion "barking mad".

In a statement issued in response to Channel NewsAsia's enquiries on Thursday (Aug 28), HDB said the notice has been taken down and apologised for the anxiety caused to dog owners.

"The notice had meant to seek the assistance of dog owners to help manage the issue of excessive dog barking at an Ang Mo Kio block, arising from complaints received. We agree it should have been handled more sensitively," the statement read.

HDB said when residents complain about excessive dog barking, they have always advised and counselled dog owners to manage their pets' barking and behaviour through obedience training.

"Debarking should only be considered by pet owners as a last resort when all other measures, especially training, are ineffective and only if the dog owner considers it an option," HDB stated.

An advisory on the website of the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority also says debarking surgery is a "solution of last resort".

Prior to HDB's confirmation that the notice was withdrawn, non-profit organisation Agency for Animal Welfare wrote on its Facebook page that it had written to the Ministry of National Development at 5am on Thursday regarding the issue. Hours later, it posted: "The AMK HDB notice has been removed. We thank MND Ministers of State, Mr Desmond Lee and Dr Maliki Osman for their swift and responsive wisdom and kindness".

Ms Corrine Fong, Executive Director of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) said the initial recommendation to debark dogs was "disappointing". In a statement released to the media, she called the debarking procedure "outdated and inhumane", noting that many veterinarians refuse to do the surgery on ethical grounds.

Ms Fong said the SPCA urges HDB and the public to always put animal welfare first in resolving communal problems.

- CNA/ly

Growls of protest over HDB suggestion to debark dogs
Cheryl Faith Wee The Straits Times AsiaOne 31 Aug 14;

Animal lovers have criticised a Housing Board notice that suggested that some dog owners in Ang Mo Kio consider "debarking your dog through surgery" - a procedure which involves the cutting of its vocal cords.

The notice, which was dated Aug 22, noted feedback about a barking nuisance in the middle of the night at Block 601, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5.

It asked dog owners to consider three ways to keep their pets from barking incessantly, namely obedience training, using training collars or surgery.

But animal welfare groups have criticised the suggestion of surgery as inhumane.

Ms Corinne Fong, the executive director of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said in a statement that the debarking recommendation was "disappointing" and "inhumane".

The Agency for Animal Welfare said on its Facebook page that it had e-mailed the Ministry of National Developmentyesterday morning about the notice.

It added that it later received a positive response from Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee.

The Housing Board, in response to questions from The Straits Times, apologised for "causing anxiety" to dog owners.

The notice was meant to seek the help of dog owners to manage the issue of excessive barking, the HDB said.

It agreed it should have been handled more sensitively, and added that the notice has since been taken down.

Debarking the truth
Darishini Thiyagarajan The New Paper AsiaOne 31 Aug 14;

A bark can sometimes be worse than the bite.

So when the Housing Board's Ang Mo Kio branch posted a notice last week suggesting flat-owners could "debark" their unruly pets, it wasn't meant to be as insensitive as it sounded.

But outraged local animal welfare groups took to social media to voice their objections.

Yesterday, HDB clarified that the notice did not accurately reflect its stand.

"We agree it should have been handled more sensitively," said a statement from HDB, "and the notice has since been taken down. The notice does not reflect accurately the position we take."

The Ang Mo Kio branch had posted the notice, dated Aug 22, at the lift landing of Block 601, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5.

It was in response to residents' feedback about "dog barking nuisance in the middle of the night".

The notice had advised dog owners in Ang Mo Kio to ensure their pets were not disrupting the sleep of other residents, with suggestions on measures that could be taken if owners could not control their pets.

Ms Corinne Fong, executive director of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), responded in a statement last night that firstly, training collars are considered illegal in some countries and the SPCA cannot agree that it should be a valid choice.

She added that the recommendation to debark was "disappointing". Calling it "outdated and inhumane", Ms Fong urged HDB and the public to "put animal welfare first", and that there are humane approaches.

Dog welfare group Action for Singapore Dogs (ASD), posted a lengthy message on its Facebook page, saying it "strongly object(s)" to the suggestion of debarking dogs, even as it agrees that consideration for one's neighbours is important.

"This is an extremely cruel and painful procedure of removing the vocal cords which can cause constant physical pain," the group said.

"Such recommendations should not be publicly put out without due advice from experts as it sets a wrong mindset that such solutions are ethical or safe."

Mr Ricky Yeo, an ASD spokesman who is also a dog trainer, said that most owners do not understand their pets, hence the incessant barking that starts when animals are neglected.

"It is just like when parents wonder why their child acts a certain way. They send the child for counselling sessions, not send them to jail or hit them.

"People must understand that the root of the problem needs to be identified before taking action - because it involves both the dogs and the families," he told The New Paper.

Consequences

Mr Yeo added that in the worst case scenario, where a dog has to undergo debarking, there are consequences.

He said: "The dogs will continue to bark, but the difference would be that no one can hear these barks. The dogs will then turn into time bombs."

These dogs would experience pent-up anxiety that would cause aggression to both owners and strangers.

An HDB spokesman said they had received feedback from Ang Mo Kio residents, especially dog owners who found the debarking method objectionable.

It said in its statement: "We apologise for causing anxiety to dog owners.

"The notice had meant to seek the assistance of dog owners to help manage the issue of excessive dog barking at an Ang Mo Kio block, arising from complaints received...

"When residents complain about excessive dog barking, we have always advised and counselled dog owners to manage their pets' barking and behaviour through obedience training.

"Debarking should only be considered by pet owners as a last resort when all other measures, especially training, are ineffective and only if the dog owner considers it an option."

Most of the residents of Block 601 who spoke to The New Paper said they hardly hear incessant barking at night.

Madam Krishnakumari, 31, a housewife, said that although she is afraid of dogs, this problem can be resolved in a different manner.

She said: "If the owners take good care of them, they would not be barking much. I think it's like being a parent, because pets are the same."

Another resident was surprised that there have been such complaints.

The 50-year-old taxi driver, who wanted to known only as Mr Tan, said that in his 18 years living in the block, he has hardly been bothered by barking, even at night.

"It is natural for dogs to bark," said Mr Tan, who does not own a pet.

"I mean, it has the right to bark. How would people feel if they were asked to stop talking? I think it applies to the dogs here, too."