It's baffling what human beings think they have the right to do to another living creature. Put them in cages. Rip out their claws. Clip them. Trim them. Experiment on them.

And sometimes, it goes so far that the "right thing" may seem so obvious, but it isn't - according to law.

Currently, devocalization, which is the cutting of a pet's vocal cords to keep a dog or cat from barking or meowing, is legal. Many veterinarians, however, refuse to perform the procedure (as with declawing).

Jordan Star, a 15-year-old from Needham, brought his concerns to local legislators, namely Senator Scott Brown, R-Wrentham and Rep. Lida Harkins, D-Needham. Brown met with Star in person, and subsequently filed a bill (drafted by the Animal Law Coalition) to ban the practice. More than 40 legislators have signed it.

For more information:

[url=http://www.all-creatures.org/alert/alert-20090211.html]Read more about this bill and info on devocalation[/url]