Man Who Claims To Be A "Vet" Cuts Dogs' Vocal Chords To Stop Them From Barking
The self-proclaimed "vet" conducts these five-minute procedures on a table at the side of the street.
By John Lim — 19 Sep 2017, 09:33 AM
A Chinese man is being investigated for running a "veterinary" clinic on the street that cuts the vocal cords of dogs for a fee
Chinese media in Chengdu, the capital of southwest Sichuan province, recently revealed that the man, known by his surname Zeng, had set up a stall in a market where he offered his "debarking" services.
His business has been well received by locals with many bringing their "noisy" pooches for him to operate on.
Debarking, or vocal cordectomy, is a procedure that cuts tissue off an animal’s vocal cords to reduce the volume of its vocalisations.
Zeng begins the operation by putting a dog to sleep through anaesthesia
A "veterinary assistant" then helps him by opening the dog’s mouth to make way for his flashlight, forceps, and scissors.
The procedure only lasts for about five minutes, and costs around 50 to 100 yuan (RM31 to RM63).
Media reports noted the appalling conditions of his stall. In between operations, his tools and needles were not sanitised or cleaned.
The ground by his feet was splattered with blood, used cotton, and syringes.
“Without a clean environment, the procedure not only risks the dogs’ lives but also residents’ health. Barking is a behaviour that can be changed after training,” said Ye Wenjie, an assistant vet based in Chengdu told South China Morning Post.
Thankfully, Zeng's business has since been shut down by the Chinese government
Officers from the government asked Zeng to produce his veterinary licence.
Image via Chengdu Business DailyChinese law actually prohibits veterinary operations from being carried out on the street because of obvious health and safety implications to the public.
Zeng, who claimed to have learnt the skills at a pet shop in the past, has since had his tools confiscated, and he is now under investigation by local police, who may punish him for carrying out the unauthorised operations.