Savannah's Paw Tracks

Savannah’s Saturday Sounding Board…

Hiya! Savannah Here!

I am trying out an idea I had… to learn if you all would like to see this as an occasional feature on my blog. I have lots of time to ponder (VBP) stuff, like when I nap and when I sit staring out to my yard…stuff just floats through my mind.

I have my own perspectives (VBP) but I need to learn what others think.  I try to be a well grounded cat after all.

My outlook is always improved when I see Rumpy Dog and June Buggie bark and meow about impawtant issues related to all of us cats and dogs and well, all animals in general.

So, I had something brought to my attention by a follower and they asked if I would think about doing a post about it…so here it is.

TELL ME WHAT YOU TH INK ABOUT…

…DE-VOCALIZATION OF DOGS AND CATS…

First, I started to wonder what the actual “root” word meant and what the prefix “de” adds to it.  Here’s what I found: (thank Cod for Google!)

“…root words combine with prefixes to form new words. For example, the root -tract-, meaning “to pull,” can combine with a number of prefixes, including de- and re-. Detract means literally “to pull away” (de-, “away, off”) and retract means literally “to pull back” (re-, “again, back”).”

So humans use these ‘prefix’ thingys to make stuff like “de-clawing” and “de-vocalize” sound almost, well, I guess “OK”??

But really, why not just say what it really means…”pulling away a cat or dogs voice”…period. More clear, don’t ya think?

Which means of course, that our only means of communication is taken away…ergo (VBP) we have to find another way to communicate our fears, needs, etc…..which usually means ‘de-struction’ to get noticed or starting poor litter box habits, etc.

My follower who raised this topic received a request from Change.org to sign a petition to make “De-vocalization” of cats and dogs illegal, in the USA.

Here is what I learned from a little bit of quick research:

In most countries in the European Community it is illegal:  “The procedure is outlawed as a form of mutilation in the UK and all countries that have signed the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals. In theUSA, devocalization is illegal by state law in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, state of New Jersey and by city ordinance in Warwick, Rhode Island. Efforts to ban devocalization are underway in other states”…  click HERE to learn more

This is what is happening in the state of NY: click HERE to learn more

And in my home state of California, our Governor just signed into law a bill that makes it illegal for landlords to demand that prospective tenants MUST de-vocalize cats or dogs to rent a property which  allows pets.   Click HERE to learn more.

Finally, the Humane Society of the United States has provided this information about the brutal practice of “pulling away a cat or dog’s voice”…click HERE

I guess you can tell by now that I don’t think this is necessary, unless the animal’s life is at risk with cancer, etc.  The HSUS information is unpleasant to read, especially that part about after affects of this surgery.  There are many testimonials on the internet from pet owners who have rescued dogs and cats who have suffered this horrid surgery…their stories are hard to read, trust me.

Now purrlease…be my Saturday Sounding Board…WHAT SAY YOU ALL WHO READ THIS???  PURRLEASE LEAVE YOUR THOUGHTS IN A COMMENT.

I thank you for reading and commenting. And also, let me know if you would like to see Savannah’s Saturday Sounding Board become a periodic feature…it would be sporadic (VBP) as my thoughts come to me from stuff I read, hear Mom and Dad talk about…and from requests from my followers which prompted me to even try this.  My appreciation to my followers Mistletoe and Hitch for bringing this up.

They do not have a blog, but you can let them know if you appreciate having them raise this impawtant topic at dorothyabernathy@msn.com

…Mistletoe

…and Hitch

Paw pats, Savannah