Just read a msg on Craig's list.

Free. Good home needed for 7 y.o. lab (retired breeding dog) from reputable breeder. Wonderful dog, etc. etc. Was de-barked by breeder. Not spayed. Have only had her for two months.

I can't believe that a Labrador should have to be de-barked........

Obviously the breeder wasn't reputable enough to spay this girl before getting rid of her :-(.

Very sad indeed...reputable breeder my arse!

I have known a couple debarked dogs, and one was a lab. The vet did not do a good job and the dog barked pretty loud afterward.

It's too bad we can't "debark" certain humans...or implement a "spay/neuter" program for some so the morons can't procreate.

That is just very sad

Not only did they not spay the girl before she left, but they didn't seem to place a requirement that if for any reason they couldn't keep her, she was to be returned to the Breeder. Can't say that for sure, because some will try to sell them anyway but given this one is free, I doubt it. Nonetheless, I sure hope the poor girl finds a good forever home.

There are well respected breeders who have openly discussed debarking of their Labradors on this list. I don't know if a search would provide that conversation several years ago.

So before you point your fingers, realize it is done within the show community.

I myself could never do it. Others are okayy with it.

I can't believe that a Labrador should have to be de-barked........
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The breeder may have lived in an area which severely restricted the number of dogs a person was permitted to keep and this girl may have been particularly vocal. I have a now 12 yr old male here who came back to me on a temporary basis about 5 years ago and is still here. This fellow would be a real problem in a regular suburban household as he is a barker if left alone. I don't have a problem with with the dog because he always has another dog with him and I live in an area specifically zoned for kennels.

Sometimes people are between a rock and more than one hard place and must decide whether to rehome a much loved family pet (or in this case a valuable brood bitch), have the dog/bitch debarked or have it put to sleep. I have never had a dog debarked, but if I were in such a situation, it would be a no-brainer, I would have the debarking surgery done

I'd like to see the ad ... what state?

The ad has gone. Free purebred dogs go fast and she looked lovely. This was in ON, Canada.

So if you were so distressed by this post this morning, what did you do to contact the "seller" to rescue this lovely girl? Other than to post a "tsk! tsk! Isn't this awful" message...

And she was gone in less than 11 hours? The rescue folks I know have a hard time placing any dogs over 5-6. Just a bit hard to believe she was swooped up that quickly.

Some Labradors DO bark, some people live in a situation where de-barking might be necessary - it ain't the end of the world.

Maybe there were complaints to Craigs list or the owner and the advertisement was taken down by either.

Responses like yours makes me go HMMMMMMMM.

Craigs list allows free re-homing posts per this quote, "Re-homing with small adoption fee OK"

Original posts like this make me go HMMMMMM. What was the purpose? Just to say, "Isn't this awful?!" So do something about it. Complaining and doing nothing serves no purpose.

Sounds as if I hit a sore spot with you. Sorry about that, but I'm into positive TRAINING, treating a dog with respect and not depriving them of company so that they feel the need to bark enough to annoy the neighbours.

I emailed the poster asking about the dog. I said it sounded as if she'd had a rough life, being debarked etc. (I'm thinking the dog was stuck outside in a kennel with no company, hence the barking) and she she responded that she didn't know why the dog was debarked. She said she already had a family who would be visiting that evening and another family who were interested too. She e-mailed me later to inform me that the first family had taken the dog. The ad has been removed.

I agree (from my work with shelters) that dogs there don't move fast, especially the oldies. But sweet, gentle purebreds that are free DO move around here it seems! Perhaps the debarking was an asset!!!! I just hope she found a decent, loving home......