Is Declawing Cats Legal in Us

Scratching is a natural behavior for cats, important for their physical and mental well-being. It removes dead shells from their claws, helps them mark territory, and helps stretch their muscles. Unfortunately, this natural behavior is considered misconduct by humans, especially when furniture or other household items are damaged in the process. But as Dr. Barbara Hodges of the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association points out, there are a number of humane alternatives that do not threaten the health and welfare of cats. These include routine nail clippings, training, scratching posts, and nail caps. In Canada, there is no federal law prohibiting decrees, but seven of the 10 Canadian provinces have made it illegal, including: On the other hand, many supporters of claws, including veterinarians, have tried not to ban the practice, as it is sometimes necessary. For too long, declawing has been treated as a routine veterinary procedure, even though it is an elective, non-therapeutic surgery (meaning it has no medical benefit for the cat) that is widely performed to prevent scratches on furniture. There are many humane and affordable alternatives that veterinarians can suggest to cat owners, including nail trimming, nail caps, deterrent sprays, and cat pinch scratches for added appeal.

New York State made history in 2019 by becoming the first U.S. state to pass laws banning cat monopolization altogether. A cat`s claw was considered an effective way to prevent destructive scratching in cats. However, times are changing and a movement to ban cat claws has emerged. Declawing has already been banned in many countries, as well as in some U.S. cities and states. In Europe, it is recognized as a cruel and unnecessary amputation, and although widespread discourse about it is flourishing in North America, the list of places where scratching is illegal is growing. The American Association of Feline Practitioners, the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association, the International Society of Feline Medicine and the World Small Animal Veterinary Association are all opposed to disenfranchisement. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also doesn`t recommend getting scratched. Several major hospital groups, including Banfield, BluePearl and VCA, have also banned disenfranchisement. Another method is laser surgery, in which a small, intense beam of light passes through the tissues, heating and vaporizing them. However, it is still the amputation of the last bone of the cat`s last toe and carries the same long-term risks of lameness and behavioral problems as scratching with scalpels or hair clippers.

I`m so glad you spoke on behalf of Corpus Christi, but I hope all of Texas wakes up and pays attention to the fact that veterinarians who perform this cruel and inhumane procedure are doing so against their « Thou shalt not hurt » medical oath. Torture is not legal; So I don`t know why this red state didn`t irritate all this while doing it against women`s rights. Lawmakers here seem to decide what is human or what is not human when it suits them politically. Cat declawing bills have been introduced and are currently under consideration in several states, including New Jersey, Massachusetts and Connecticut. We also hope that similar bills will be introduced this year or next year in Nevada, California, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Illinois, among others. Canada has made great strides in lifting the bans, with eight of its 10 provinces banning the procedure: Maryland could become the second U.S. state to ban cats, with lawmakers working to ban the practice. In 2011, Israel amended the « Law Against Cruelty to Animals » to include a ban on the practice of scratching cats. Australia, New Zealand and Brazil also have restrictions to prevent claws. Making the process of decay illegal isn`t just a hot topic in the United States.

In many countries, the practice of scratching cats for non-medical reasons was illegal under their animal cruelty laws. We are a nation of animal lovers and our values and human ethics inspire advocates across the country to advocate for the bans to be lifted. We can`t give back their claws to cats that have suffered from declawing, but together we can write the history of scratching. As a global driver of change for cats, Alley Cat Allies is leading the way. The process of surgical removal of cats` claws involves cutting bones and tendons, as well as nerves. Sometimes veterinarians remove part of the cat`s paw or finger or change the tendon of the limb. The decree began without scientific study or assessment of pain or an understanding of the long-term effects of multiple amputations. When domestic cats moved into our homes shortly after the invention of cat litter, a 1952 letter from a Chicago practitioner to an American veterinary magazine described a rudimentary procedure using guillotine clippers to amputate cats` toes. Unfortunately, veterinary practice has been standardized. But Jennifer Bevan-Dangel, Maryland state director for the Humane Society of the United States, argued that « there`s no guarantee that a veterinarian will meet any of the standards, » ethical behavior when it comes to scratching.

Moira Cyphers, a lobbyist for the Maryland Veterinary Medical Association, said declawing has subsided over the past decade and has largely become a « last resort » procedure. If this is done on a human, the claw would be like cutting each finger on the last knuckle.