Four hours ago Jennifer Conrad of The Paw Project posted on Facebook an update on the proposed California legislation to ban declawing in the state. She tells us that the legislation has failed and that they have lost the battle to protect cat paws in California.
I presume that The Paw Project had promoted this legislation. To be honest, I am surprised and of course very saddened by this news. Of all the states of the USA California appears to be the most advanced and enlightened in terms of the possibility that they might ban this operation. After all, eight cities in the state had banned this veterinary operation some time ago.
I do not have more information at this time. I will update the page as and when more news comes through.
Update: A comment from someone in the know:
Jim Bickhart: With difficult bills it sometimes takes several tries in the CA legislature before they finally get it and do the right thing. It’s very unfortunate that a couple of potential votes were lost because certain legislators were sweet-talked by a CVMA that has for all intents and purposes abandoned and neglects to serve the communities they represent.
I excitedly wrote about this legislation recently. It fizzled out quickly which is a shock.
Yes, I was hopeful, very hopeful. I am disappointed. We just have to keep going.
All about greed and apathy. Very sad.
Well done in trying. I think we can go wider than the subject of cat declawing. Most people who use the Internet use it for entertainment or to take something from it in the way of facts or information. People who visit the Internet want to take something from it as quickly as possible and as painlessly as possible. And they don’t want to pay for it. It is very hard to get people to engage in a website. This site does (or used to) get quite a few comments but when you consider the number of visitors, the percentage who comment and who wish to contribute and share is very small.
Agreed, when it comes to people being asked to do more than ‘click’ or ‘share’ campaigning is harder than ever.
About ten years ago I developed, with the help of a behavioural scientist, a survey to establish outcomes for declawed cats in shelters in the US. It would have covered rural, urban & suburban shelters and would have provided essentially useful data. I even had a ‘prof’ lined up to act as sponsor so the study results could be published for peer review in suitable professional journals
The responses I got when politely suggesting
the study & requesting help/participation ranged from the disinterested all the way through bitchiness, mocking along the lines of “who do you think you are? ” to the standard playground jealousy/politics which stymies so many campaigning groups – this was within a UK/USA group.
Some study or other got done by some one linked to the Paw Project, I don’t know if the results were ever published, I would like to have seen them. It’s hard to come by detailed, extensive research.
Until there is a truly united approach by activists, non profits, academia, veterinary science, vet schools & our ever powerful media, paws will stay right where they are in the unenlightened countries that still allow the foul practice of declawing -that is, in perpetual peril.
About five or more years ago I tried to organise an on the ground protest at an AVMA meeting in America. I did all the ground work but near the time people dropped out even though beforehand they had pledged to attend the protest. I think there should be on the ground protests at AVMA meetings but it is very hard to get people to attend.
In fact, and I hate to say this, there’s lots of words spoken about declawing but when push comes to shove I don’t feel that there is enough commitment amongst the ordinary cat owner to stop it never mind the veterinarians who fight a ban tooth and claw.
This failure by the California legislature is probably due to lobbying by veterinarians.
I am shocked & saddened that California has chosen to continue butchering paws & wrecking feline lives.
I think the California branch of the corrupt AVMA must be very wealthy & & may use that wealth to ensure their members can continue raking in their blood money.
Huge props to those still involved in the fight to save paws. This is a big setback for them.
Maybe Paw Project need to up their visibility, hire some hard hitting media experts & just be more ‘out there’ – actually out on the street interacting, showing that when people are fully aware of what this surgery involves, they reject it. Paw Project must up their game.
I know that the volunteers who devote a lot of time actively support the campaign to ban declawing, get demotivated when the Paw Project ignore their not inconsiderable work. The lack of interaction/acknowledgement from Paw Project has, I know turned several people away from supporting the campaign.
Don’t give up people. One day greedy, unethical vets, corrupt politicians and ignorant owners, may see sense & find some compassion.