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Images of a roadside ‘vet’ cutting dogs’ vocal chords on a street in China have caused horror around the world and online.

The man, only identified as Zeng, along with an assistant, have been performing up to 10 of these ‘procedures’ an hour at a flower market in Chengdu, which claim to soften and reduce the sound of a dog’s bark. People queued up, claiming that neighbor complaints and the fear of losing their dog had driven them to take drastic measures.

According to reports, the pair give the dog anesthetic through a jab to the leg, before holding each canine’s mouth open with a tie, reaching in and slicing through the vocal chords with equipment that is both unsterilized and unwashed between each operation. Tissue from the dogs’ throats lies on the street until the end of the day.

Zeng admitted to an undercover reporter that he had no license to give any sort of operation, never mind one as delicate and cruel as this, claiming that he had learned how to do it at a pet shop.

People from all over China voiced their disgust after images made their way to social media site Weibo, as well as Facebook and Twitter soon after. Irene Feng, director of Dog and Cat Welfare at Animals Asia, said:

It is being carried out in unsanitary conditions risking pain and infection for the animal, while such mutilation is obviously extremely negative for the dogs’ welfare and quality of life.

Luckily, according to The Mirror, the storm of controversy and the outcry over the lack of sanitation surrounding the amateur clinic has lead to Zeng being put under investigation and having his tools confiscated.

However, although dogs in Chengdu don’t have to worry about being put through this inhumane surgery for the time being, canines from all over the world, including the U.S., may still be at risk.

Although for some, debarking (or devocalization) operations seem an easy way to stop a noisy dog from disturbing the neighbors, experts and animal rights groups have condemned the procedure as inhumane and a gateway to other health problems.

Dog trainer Anna Jane Grossman described some of the medical problems which can arise in debarked dogs:

It can lead to a buildup of scar tissue in the larynx, compromising a dog’s ability to breathe and/or swallow food without choking, it can lead to chronic irritation and coughing that can cause infection, and it can lead to swelling of the throat and other obstructions of the airway that can cause heatstroke.

What’s more, barking is an extremely important way for dogs to communicate, letting canines inform us when they are scared, hurt, bored, or if there is something wrong. Debarked dogs are at risk of becoming frustrated and redirecting their anger into other behavior, such as biting, when distressed.

While it can be very annoying, it is an essential and usually inevitable part of owning a dog – one that dog-lovers must expect if they want a pet of their own. Many places, including the U.K. and the state of Massachusetts, have thankfully outlawed this operation.

Luckily, there are many ways to train a dog out of barking too much, some of which you can find in our article here. An experienced trainer will be able to work with you to find out why your dog is barking and how to stop it, without resorting to painful and problematic methods.