The purpose of this petition is to fight for Leo’s right to bark and his family’s right to protect him as well. When I first heard the story of Leo on WRAL news, I was not only saddened but also shocked that the Graham County District Attorney’s Office would even suggest the inhumane procedure of removal of Leo’s vocal cords or “debarking”. I talked to my good friend Vidnia and we decided we wanted to help the Eddings family fight for Leo’s right to bark and be a normal dog. Leo is a Great Pyrenees who loves to do the things all dogs love to do, run in the yard, play with the Eddgings family children, roll in the grass, chase snowflakes and yes, BARK as all dogs do. Barking is a dog’s natural ability to vocalize and communicate, and to debark a dog strips them of their ability to do this and deprives them of their primary means of expression. Debarking, or devocalization, is an invasive surgical procedure that involves removing a large amount of laryngeal tissue, involves a great deal of postoperative pain and can cause severe respiratory issues in animals.  It is an inhumane act and many vets will not perform this surgery, and frowned upon by many dog loving organizations like PETA and The American Animal Hospital Association. Also, the practice of debarking is already illegal in many states as a condition of real estate occupancy, and in a majority of these states it is illegal or banned because it is just downright cruel. Michael and Katlyn Eddings have been charged with multiple noise violations due to Leo’s barking and acquired over $750 in fines as well as attorney’s fees and are now being told by the Graham County District Attorney’s Office that if they will remove Leo’s vocal cords, charges will be dropped. Their court case has been continued to October 2022 and our goal is to get as many signatures on this petition as possible so that Michael and Katlyn have this to present to the DA and Judge when they return to court. The end goal of this petition is to get the DA to retract the requirement of Leo having his vocal cords removed, the charges against the Eddings family dropped, a public apology from the DA’s office to the Eddings family and for Leo and his family to live in peace. Help us fight for Leo’s bark and his family’s voice. This petition may also prevent a situation like this from happening to other dogs and families in the future. We love you Leo! Your friends, Anita Morgan and Vidnia Castillo