Declawing Bans Should Worry American Veterinarians

by Michael (PoC Admin)
(London, UK)

A great Campaign - Shame on the Declawing Vets

A great Campaign - Shame on the Declawing Vets

The declawing bans should worry American veterinarians because it could be the thin edge of the wedge that gradually erodes what they would consider to be their sacred right to make decisions in respect of the cat's health. The trouble is for a very long time they have not done that properly.

A profession as esteemed (usually but not in this case regrettably) as the veterinarian's can only lose decision making on matters of cat health (their area of operation obviously) if something has gone badly wrong.

For local city councils to step in and start to regulate veterinarians is extraordinary and it must be very embarrassing and shocking for the senior vets who run the associations.

Lets think about it from the legislative angle. Six cities have created law to ban declawing in their city. It takes a lot of effort to create law like that. There must therefore be a lot of motivation behind the process. And where there is motivation there has to be desire and, yes, passion, and more...anger!

The creation of laws banning declawing is then driven by real concern from the majority of the people of these cities. Otherwise it would not have been created.

It is almost certainly fair to surmise that the cities concerned:

-West Hollywood 2003
-Santa Monica Oct 27th 2009, who voted 6 to 1
-San Francisco November 3rd 2009, who voted 9 to 2
-Beverly Hills November 5th 2009, who voted 5 to 0
-The city of Los Angeles voted 11 to 0 November 6th 2009 to Ban Declawing of All Animals.

...represent the general population of the USA (or is that incorrect? - I am not an American). Perhaps California is not representative of the USA. Perhaps it is a little ahead of the rest! (provocative perhaps). In any event, the point I would like to make is that there is almost certainly an undercurrent of feeling by the people of other cities in other states that declawing is wrong and should be banned. If those people speak out and the councils listen the thin end of the wedge that is in California could turn into a great stumbling block for the veterinary associations.

What if the vets decide to do some other treatment that might be considered against the best interests of the cat? There is now a precedent that they can be regulated at the legislative level (the highest level). The vets are throwing away their right to run their own lives and they deserve it.

So come on vets in America. Wake up. Do the right thing. Take back your autonomy to make clinical decisions and ban declawing across the USA yourselves. That is probably the only way you can stop the gradual erosion of your profession that started decades ago when you decided to make money from cats rather than follow your oath and cure them of illness.

From Declawing Bans Should Worry American Veterinarians to Cat News

Comments for
Declawing Bans Should Worry American Veterinarians

Click here to add your own comments

Feb 27, 2012 NEW
by: Wing Shoes

Recently the wings concept was applied to... removed as spam..


Jan 02, 2010 Next stage
by: Ruth

I'm sure The Paw Project have something in mind but their funds are depleted with the expenses of campaigning and attending the California cities which have recently voted.
Hopefully there will be a write up on these pages very soon about their very important work and how we can all help.

Kattaddorra signature Ruth


Jan 01, 2010 Thanks
by: Michael

Thanks for the feedback. It makes we wonder how we should proceed to the next stage. In other words how are we to consolidate and build on the successes in California?

Michael Avatar


Dec 30, 2009 Minor correction
by: Anonymous

Actually, you are incorrect in assuming that those cities in California are representative of the nation as a whole. Actually, many Americans talk about California and the people in it (especially SoCal) as if it were an alternate universe. So, sadly, the majority of vets in the US probably don't see Californian legislation as a threat. Now, if cat declawing were banned in Ohio or Indiana, THAT would be more representative.

There is good news, however. Many animal shelters and breeders in the US stipulate in the adoption contract that the cat MAY NOT be declawed. You will also find in major metropolitan areas many vets who refuse to perform the procedure.

What is needed are more billboards like the one shown above in order to get the message to really stick. Educate the public first, and the rest will fall in line.


Nov 12, 2009 I understand
by: Michael (PoC Admin)

I understand. We don't and can't trust the vets. But it would be so much more efficient if they changed their ways. Many more claws would be saved much more quickly if the vets banned declawing. It is a balance. How long will it take to ban declawing through legislation in the USA?

If the vets banned it and the law watched them it would be the best solution.


Nov 12, 2009 The decision has to be taken away
by: Barbara

They can't be trusted with the power to make decisions about declawing because they abuse that power. They do not counsel clients about the side effects of declawing or offer any education about it, they just offer neuter/declaw packages or money off declaw vouchers. They can't be trusted to act eithically so they need to be stopped by law.


Nov 12, 2009 Declawing
by: Ruth aka Kattaddorra

Quite right Michael,if vets who declaw don't want to be told by the law to stop mutilating cats and kittens by this cruel operation,they should remember the oath they took not to harm any animal and stop doing it right now.
As more and more people are finding out the truth of declawing and what a money maker it is for vets, they are going to be asking more questions.The days of the vet selling them neuter/declaw packages and offering discount vouchers for declawing without explaining just what the operation means,will surely draw to a close as more cities ban declawing.
To add to your list,Berkely voted for a ban 9/0 and Burbank are voting very soon.
If all these cities, and all of us, and 2058 people who have signed our petition can see how wrong declawing is,why can't the pro declaw vets see that too ?
http://www.petitionthem.com/default.asp?sect=detail&pet=4312


Nov 12, 2009 Yup They Should Be Worried!
by: Jo Singer

With the forward thinking and action that these cities have taken, which ban the mutilating declaw surgery, a strong message has gone out, which hopefully will have an impact on many other cities across the USA.

I think and pray that their wise decision will begin to snowball across the country. Folks will be very interested in what initiated this action, and why these cities banned the practice. Perhaps this will result in much stronger public awareness to how cruel and inhumane this surgery actually is and a deeper understanding of how important the claws are to their cats.

This said, enterprising veterinarians in these cities will certainly find creative ways to make up for any loss of income. Selling scratching posts, cat trees, soft paws and trimming cats' claws will certainly alleviate loss of income.

Opening wellness centers, cat friendly day care for folks who work and don't want to leave their cats alone at home, are other possible sources of income as well.

I can't wait for the day that the United States joins the over 37 countries around the world which have already banned this practice as the veterinarians consider it to be cruelty to animals. A National ban is what is needed.


Leave a Comment

follow it link and logo