I am against de-barking 100%. I know this is a hot topic, much like declawing is, but people come up with these lazy ways to take care of a "problem", when people are the problem to begin with.
De-barking is a very cruel and painful surgery. There are two ways to do it. One is less invasive than the other, but the chances of the bark coming back is also greater in the less invasive surgery. The more invasive surgery can be a bloody mess, and I've seen first hand what it can do to a poor dog.

The thing that gets me, is how careless people can be in choosing a breed of dog. I can't count how many times someone has come in with a beagle or a little dog like a pomeranian and they complain about how active they are or how much they bark. Hello!! Beagles are known for barking and high activity...typically. People really need to spend more time researching their breed of dog before buying, and also put more effort into training. A good dog is an image of a good owner.