New York On The Brink Of Becoming The First US State To Ban Cat Declawing

A potential bill awaits the approval of Gov. Andrew Cuomo that could possibly make New York, the first US state to ban cat declawing, lawfully. Cat declawing is cruel and inherently barbaric and inhuman, inflicting enormous discomfort to the felines. Know more here.

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New York On The Brink Of Becoming The First US State To Ban Cat Declawing

Last Tuesday, New York lawmakers in a bipartisan approach voted to make the act of declawing a cat illegal under a new bill called A01303B. This bill can potentially outlaw ‘onychectomy’ or the practice of cutting off the bones using a laser or scalpel from where the claws of a cat grow, according to BBC. The only exception this bill would allow will be in extreme cases, wherein declawing remains the last resort to meet a potential medical hazard, otherwise forbidding the surgery for any ‘aesthetic or cosmetic’ reasons, according to multiple reports.

Declawing is indeed an inhuman practice, as unlike human nails, a cat’s claw is more intricately attached to its bones, nerves, and tendons. According to proponents of the law, declawing can be compared to chopping off someone’s toes and fingers from the first knuckle. And more often than not, medical concerns aren’t as much a reason to declaw a cat, as much it is (often) for the benefit of the keepers.

If the bill is put to due effect, the same can essentially charge the veterinarians with a hefty $1000 penalty, CNBC notes. As opposed to the U.S., a number of countries have already banned the practice, like Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Brazil, and Israel as well. As of the U.S, cities like Los Angeles, Denver and San Francisco have banned the amputation. The bill for New York now reportedly awaits the approval of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, whose representatives have confirmed that he will review the bill before he decides to sign it.

Furniture or Cat?

The sponsor of the Assembly, and an animal rights activist Linda Rosenthal, speaking to the New York Times stated that reasons behind perusing declawing a cat includes owners who “think their furniture is more important than their cat,” she said, referring to the commonplace practice where declawing is done to prevent a cat from scratching a furniture.

“It’s just brutal,” Rosenthal said, adding “It’s unnecessary, it’s painful, and it causes the cat problems.” She went on to mention that “New York prides itself on being first,” adding that this will have a domino effect.

What is your view on the bill to ban cat declawing? Let me know your thoughts in comments.