Controversial surgery to remove the vocal chords of dogs and cats - preventing them barking and meowing - has been banned for the first time in the US. Under the new law now in force in Massachusetts, anyone caught devocalising an animal for non-medical reasons faces up to five years in jail. The silencing surgery - known as 'debarking' when performed on dogs - is usually done by commercial breeders for their own convenience, according to the Animal Law Coalition. Supporters of the ban say it is a cruel and unnecessary practice and believe it is more important for people to understand the reasons behind their pets making noise. Brian Adams, spokesman for the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA), said: "To take the voice of an animal would be the equivalent of taking a person's ability to communicate." Opponents have claimed more pets will be surrendered to shelters or abandoned as a result of the ban, but Mr Adams said the MSPCA is not expecting an influx of animals. He has said no dogs or cats were handed over to the organisation on the grounds of being too noisy in 2009. Dubbed Logan's Law after a dog that had the controversial surgery but was later abandoned anyway, the measure has been signed by Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick. California is considering a law that would make it illegal for landlords to require devocalisation of dogs and declawing of cats as a condition of tenancy. Source: Sky News