Friday, August 29, 2014

Barking Dogs Don't Bite

When we adopted a rabbit from the SPCA, we were told to pay for the spaying and neutering fee, on the understanding that a neutered male rabbit will live longer. Also, altered rabbits are supposed to be calmer, more loving, and dependable once the undeniable urge to mate has been removed. All we remember was that the poor creature was sad and forlorn for at least a fortnight. You would be sad too if your family jewels were surgically nipped off.

The Housing Board recommendation to some Ang Mo Kio dog owners about debarking noisy canines seems to have upset some animal lovers. The Action for Singapore Dogs organisation claims on their Facebook posting that "This is an extremely cruel and painful procedure of removing the vocal chords which can cause constant physical pain." Sounds a thousand times more scary than the Isis "FGM edict" hoax in Iraq about enforced female genital mutilation.

Charlotte McGowan, a dog breeder for over 40 years, provides some alternate perspectives at her "Myths and Facts" presentation about debarking (bark softening):
Q: Does debarking remove the dog's ability to bark?
A: No. Debarked dogs continue to bark. What debarking does is to lower the volume of the bark so that it does not carry for miles around.

Q: Is this a "cruel and barbaric procedure?"
A: No.  People with little or no experience raising naturally noisy and talkative breeds may tell you this. People with breeds like Shetland Sheepdogs (Shelties) can tell you that this procedure is simple and that it saves lives of dogs that might otherwise be dumped in the pound for their barking. Debarking is a more simple procedure than removing the uterus in spaying or removing testicles in neutering.

Q: Do dogs suffer emotionally from debarking?
A: It is a huge myth to suggest dogs are emotionally disturbed by debarking. Debarked dogs can bark. Even if reduced sound comes out of their mouths, they don't seem to notice at all! Debarked dogs that are not being constantly disciplined for barking, in fact, tend to be much happier dogs!

Before you join the throngs of unhappy people who go on the internet to research additional viewpoints - satisfied people don’t have time to go on the internet, we are told - consider the relative lack of reaction when the minister tried to debark the vociferous online voices. It is a sad day when the activists pay more attention to barking dogs than complaining citizens yapping for the return of their CPF.

53 comments:

  1. Talking of barking, my favourite story is that recounted by Low Thia Kiang in one of his election speeches. He likened the chorus of PAP criticisms to the kampong dogs when he and others in the kampong return home late at night. When he/they pass the first house with a dog it barks at the sound and sight of him/them. The other dogs, on hearing the barking, start to bark in response, not knowing why the first dog was barking.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Then it is more reason for citizens to collectively support and encourage Low Thia Kiang to become the official "Dog Whisperer" of parliament. what do u think?

      Delete
    2. We need a pig whisperer to teach us how to change government.

      Delete
  2. before they worry about barking, they shud try to enforce the one-dog per flat rule. everywhere I see maids walking 2 sometimes 3 dogs. of course 3 dogs bark louder than 1, like LTK's story, and they also pee 3 times more around lifts and wheels of cars parked downstairs.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rightly said. Responsibility rest entirely on the pet owners to ensure others are not inconvenienced. Pet owners SHD clean up and if possible, sound proof their own units so as not to disturb their neighbours. Many dog owners let their dogs bark incessantly. IMO, pet owning in HDB flats shoud be disallowed as owners can never be trusted.

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  3. Uniquely Singapore, welfare of dogs and migrant workers, foreign trashes, attract more attention then the policies that affect the livelihood of Singaporeans. Will these activists and common singaporeans voice out more on what affect the country and singaporeans ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are preaching to the wrong choir. These animal activists would rather fight for dogs to be allowed in restaurants than support 75-year-old Mdm Lee who was detained and summoned to court by the Tanjong Pagar Town Council for owing $411 in conservancy fees.

      Delete
    2. You mean just like how you would "rather" talk about 75-year-old Mdm Lee here, than offer assistance to her directly right?

      Delete
    3. Oh, well, maybe pinkie will set up a coordinating ministry one day to ensure equity in treatment for FT and redotters, but you have a valid point: redotters welfare will always be several steps behind FTs, all of which would fall far below the elites' like waffle (woohoo) the botox man.

      Delete
  4. Could someone debark Ms Charlotte McGowan as her barking, I mean, her voicing out of opinion is just 'too loud' for me to understand?

    Maybe she can understand how 'unnatural' it is to try to talk, but with no sound coming out as loud as one expects, when she becomes a dog herself. God bless her!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 1) There is no god.

      2) If dogs want to bark as loudly as they want without caring if they affect humans, let them do so in housing estates they build for their own kind.

      Delete
    2. god is just a dog which is dyslexic.

      Delete
    3. Omigosh! dog spelt backwards is god!

      Delete
    4. So now you know ! What about godown which probably referred to God's warehouse ? Amazing English Language !

      Delete
  5. I wonder if there would be a market if someone sold Tolerance. It seems to be in very short supply in Spore.

    The solution to the constant whining and noise - by all types of animals, and that includes humans - is to replace them with robots. End of problems.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Singapore has 60% programmed to think like robots.

      Delete
  6. Other countries.
    They can suka, suka assemble & demonstrate anywhere they want.
    In Singapore, Singaporeans can only assemble at Hong Lim Park.
    Are Singaporean citizens debarked ???

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. well, Wong KS was at the bishan ndp dinner last nite and he was overheard saying that even with a big hong lim park, attendance is more often than not mediocre for organised "protests", certainly far lower than junction 8 shopping crowd! the shortie has got a point, sillipoerans are hopelessly apathetic and materialistic. whose fault is it?

      Delete
  7. We call them animal activists precisely because they are concerned with animals.

    What's stopping any of us from founding a "The Action for Singapore Online Voices" activist group?

    I am not partial to the animal lovers but I do not see the point of mocking them simply because they acted on interests relevant to them (dogs) but didn't act on interests relevant to you / us (maintaining our independent voices online).

    Seriously, we are to blame for our own apathy. I don't think simply voting against the grain in elections is enough; more can be done but we're just not taking enough initiative.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. PAPigs
      Please correct me if I am wrong.
      If you want to organize and take initiative in Singapore;
      - you need to register a society before you can assemble in a large group to get organized.

      Delete
    2. anon @8.15, but you don't need to register to go to hong lim park and wave your A4 size cartoon, what is stopping silliporeans are apathy and excuses, when you have free gifts u see queues around the blocc. when the people take the trouble to organize hong lim events, people rather go shopping, not papigs' fault right? freaking bunch of ks whimps, vote close to their pockets, easily believe the mass media, never ask why, lazy bumps thats what we are!

      Delete
  8. I really don't understand this type of posting. Just because somebody loves dog doesn't mean he or she doesn't love or care about other Singaporeans. If a person is genuinely kind, he will be kind to all, that includes animals. Singaporeans are #1 complain king, so you can be sure they will be constantly complaining about the CPF lah, MRT lah et - anything that affects them. That is a given. But can animals complain? They can't. That is when animal activists come in - to give a voice to animals who otherwise have no voices in this world. If everyone is like you who care nothing about animals and believe anyone who cares about animals means he cannot love humans, there will be no animals left in this world because you will eat every single one of them since humans are the #1 most important thing in the world. As Ghandi says, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” If you fight for own rights like CPF lah, good transport lah, you are just looking at your own benefits - that's doesn't make you great. But if you fight for animals rights which does not really benefit you directly, that is when you have moved up the Maslow's hierachy of needs.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This is because we are still at level one on Maslow's pyramid - struggling for our basic needs like a HDB flat.

      Delete
    2. Gandhi also said:
      "Honest disagreement is often a good sign of progress."

      Delete
  9. And you fight for your own cause whatever that is, be it ability to buy cheap HDB flats or getting your CPF back or overthrowing PAP. And others fight for what they believe in. Please do not mock others just because they fight for conservation of tigers which are going extinct, or preservation of dog's vocal chords. They are not mutually exclusive. For all you know, those who speak up for the dogs also speak up for the underprivileged in Singapore. And really, a few dogs barking or a cat meowing is that disturbing to remove their vocal chords? I think Singaporeans are just overly protected until must complain just because a dog barks. Or maybe people live in such concrete jungles such that now they have zero exposure to animals? They only know how to play with robots and electronic toys that you can tell such toys exactly when to make noise and when to shut up? Such a shame.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "I think Singaporeans are just overly protected until must complain just because a dog barks."

      Are you referring to our PM who is suing Roy at the moment?
      You are very disrespectful if you are.

      Delete
  10. you should RE-TITLE your post..

    THE HDB case is about the disturbing noise the undisciplined barking of dogs that is the problem..

    people who have quiet dogs big or small which are trained and disciplined not to bark unnecessarily will be afraid from now. When neighbours see their dogs...so quiet...IT WILL BITE. thats was what your title implied.

    i have a dog it is a quiet dog. it is capable of barking but he is a quiet dog.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Is your quiet dog a Singaporean dog?
      Singaporean dogs are usually well trained.
      Defanged, debarked - it is completely daft and harmless.
      At least that's what the PAPPY Dog Training School tells me.

      Delete
    2. dont be an asshole and a smart alec here.

      there will be a time to talk about politics and the paps. this thread is about K9. you are only projecting yourself and the rest who are from the other side look like asshole like you.

      get it! smart alec!

      Delete
    3. TO: Anonymous, 8/29/2014 8:12 PM.

      1.Barking white dogs like you cannot bite.
      2.I'm a new citizen and I intend to assert my rights of citizenship. I will talk about politics and the paps anytime I want.

      Delete
    4. Wow, who is the smart alec here? Every article Tattler wrote is about politics, dogs or no dogs.

      Delete
  11. Speaking of dogs and man, this is what the sage said, and learn from him. Dogs can be trained from small where to pee and defecate, and by implacation, even not to bark. But not adult dogs (and people) who will deliberately urinate even in the lifts!

    “Mine is a very matter-of-fact approach to the problem. If you can select a population and they're educated and they're properly brought up, then you don't have to use too much of the stick because they would already have been trained. It's like with dogs. You train it in a proper way from small. It will know that it's got to leave, go outside to pee and to defecate. No, we are not that kind of society. We had to train adult dogs who even today deliberately urinate in the lifts.”

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I say well done new citizens.
      Because you are not so well trained.
      Your presence here has opened up the eyes of the Singaporeans.

      Delete
    2. The PAP has imported more dogs than humans. Nowadays you can see China women pee in lift or shit outside MRT station. And they even got Singapore citizenship.

      Delete
    3. We are not only dafts. We are dogs that cannot be trained to read and do the right things. Lately the clown prince has been castigating the Internet - because it is mainly anti-PAP. Don't be surprised that they will debark the voices of the Internet.

      Delete
    4. On Tv's news, Khaw and Pinky gave pink ic to F/trashes. Urinate in lifts and shit outside MRT station, who are they?

      Delete
  12. If you really own your HDB flats.
    You can keep any dog you want.
    Any size, any time, bark or debark.

    Because HDB owns your HDB flat.
    That is why you must ask for HDB's approval.
    This is the difference between owning your HDB flat and owning the lease that says you can stay there (subject to HDB's evolving rules & regulations).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ditto for condos. You need the MCST's approval for pets - therefore you don't own the condo units.

      Delete
    2. @ Annonymous @ 10.19am above:
      What you posted is incorrect.

      MCST is an abbreviation for Management Corporation Strata Title.
      It is name given to a management group made up of OWNERS of the condominium.

      It is also a legal entity that control, manage and administer the common property for the benefit of all the condo OWNERS.
      + including the rules governing pets

      EXAMPLE:
      -----------------
      There are 100 condo units.
      So there are 100 condo OWNERS.
      These 100 condo OWNERS elect 10 OWNERS amongst themselves to form the MCST.

      If all 100 condo OWNERS love dogs.
      The MCST (representing all 100 OWNERS) can pass a ruling allowing for unrestricted ownership of dogs within the condo.

      That's the benefit of OWNERSHIP.
      You own the property.
      You make the rules.
      No need to seek HDB approval or petition the PAP government.

      OWNERSHIP breeds a culture of independence and self reliance.
      These are not traits that we want in Singaporeans.
      We want Singaporeans to be helpless champion complainers.
      - Champion complainers who are restricted by law who can only assemble and organize in large numbers at Hong Lim Park.

      Delete
    3. @ Annonymous @ 8.11am and 11.18am above:

      Since you don't own your HDB flat, why don't you let me rent it out for you and I keep the rentals? Remember, you don't own it - so the rentals are not your to keep.

      Delete
    4. @ Anonymous 5:41 PM above.

      I cannot let you rent it out for me.
      I must write to HDB first to get approval to rent out my flat.
      Without HDB's approval, it is considered an illegal rental.
      And HDB can take back "my" flat under the rules of my lease with HDB.

      Delete
    5. 90% of Singaporeans live in HDB flats.
      And if these 90% of Singaporeans don't own the HDB flats they stay in because the flat really belongs to HDB ....
      Does this mean Singapore has the lowest home ownership rate in the world at 10% ???

      Delete
    6. So get approval from HDB to rent out your flat. And pass the monthly rentals to me since you don't own the flat. And when you sell the flat give me all the proceeds since you don't own the HDB flat.

      Delete
    7. I don't own my HDB flat.
      I own the lease that gives me the right to occupy my HDB flat for 99 years.
      But why should I give you my money just because I don't own my HDB flat?
      CPIB might end up investigating you and me.

      Which political party are you from?
      Do you think it's unusual for you to ask Singaporeans to pay for all manner of things like COE, ERP and etc.
      To keep taxing the same thing over and over again?

      There is a quote attributed to Lee Kuan Yew:
      "What's wrong with collecting more money?"
      - collect more money from who?
      - if you have to ask why this is wrong ... what is there left to discuss?

      Delete
  13. Beware of those dogs that bark softly or even gentlely.
    Once they sink their teeth into You, they refuse to let go.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Some people just don't understand simple concepts.

    If you don't owned a property, then you are not entitled to the rentals, if it rented out with HDB's approval.

    If you don't owned a property, then you cannot sell that property - period. Simple as that.

    So, how to sell your property when you don't own it?

    Assuming for some reason that you can sell, then you cannot be entitled to the sales proceeds since you don't own the property.

    Giving me the money is just to poke holes in your argument. Don't have to give to me. Give to charity. Or give to City Harvest's Khong Hee - his logic is similar to yours.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. " If you don't owned a property, then you cannot sell that property - period. Simple as that. "
      Anonymous @ 10.27am, 31 Aug

      AGREE.
      But in Singapore, we can also buy and sell HDB leases.
      And that is what is being bought & sold in the HDB resale market.
      Legally, it's the leases we are buying & selling to each other.
      Not the HDB property itself.

      Delete
  15. @ Anonymous @ 10.27am.
    You know and I know that we are writing for the masses.
    You know and I know that what you say is not true.

    In the HDB flat market.
    HDB retains ownership of the HDB flat.
    HDB sells 99 year leases to Singaporeans ... giving Singaporeans the right to stay in the HDB flat for 99 years subject to HDB's constantly evolving rules and regulations.

    If you really "own" your HDB flat.
    If you die (example),
    your 12 year old child should be able to inherit "your" HDB flat.
    But this cannot be legally done.
    Why?
    Because your 12 year old son is a minor who cannot enter into a legal leasing arrangement with HDB ... the owner.
    Your 12 year old son has ONE year to sell "your" HDB flat inheritance under HDB's current rules.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Damn jialat. LKY once said HDB flat is an asset.

    It later evolved into a 'public housing' flat but sold with a heavy built-in 'privatised' land cost priced in by none other than that infamous Marlboro Minister. Because he argued if they don't include the land cost in, it will be liken to a raid on our reserves.

    Now the people realised it is just a lease but cunningly built in with a heavy land cost. People are now condemning PAP & HDB like mad, taking us as suckers just like the mandatory CPF Minimum sums.

    Now they even want to talk about HONOUR. It would be OK if they don't want to honour the right of CPF member to withdraw their CPF savings at 55 for new CPF members, but if they can't honour such a basic human right of long suffering members, what else can they honour ?

    Let's wait & see if we can honour PAP at the next Election with the most 'damning" revenge of not honouring our basic right in the first place ? It has been anticipated that this challenge will be soon. Let's not let HONOUR bluffed us again. There is nothing better than sweet revenge to see LKY's face darkened before he goes to his final resting place.

    ReplyDelete
  17. /// But in Singapore, we can also buy and sell HDB leases.
    And that is what is being bought & sold in the HDB resale market.
    Legally, it's the leases we are buying & selling to each other.
    Not the HDB property itself. ///

    AGREE.
    Similarly for those 99-year private condo units.
    Ditto for those $20-30 million 99-year bungalows on Sentosa cove.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Neutering may be for the benefit of the animal itself, but debarking is for the benefit of neighbours at the expense of the animal's welfare. That's what makes it cruel.

    ReplyDelete
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