New York Bans Cat Declawing

Some pet owners see declawing as a solution to keeping cats from destroying furniture, but there are other ways to solve this problem. hannadarzy/Shutterstock

New York is the first state in the U.S. to ban cat declawing. Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a bill Monday that bans the controversial practice.

"By banning this archaic practice, we will ensure that animals are no longer subjected to these inhumane and unnecessary procedures," Cuomo said in a statement.

The bill, which was passed by lawmakers in June, will take effect immediately. It will subject veterinarians to a $1,000 fine for performing the procedure, unless it's for medical reasons, such as infection or injury.


The New York State Veterinary Medical Society opposed the bill, arguing that declawing should be allowed in some situations. For example, there are elderly owners or people with weakened immune systems who risk serious injury from a scratch and they say many people give up their cats to shelters because of damage to furniture or people in the home, they say.


Kitty Block, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, called the New York bill's passage "a watershed moment" in a statement to NPR.


Denver leads the way

In 2017, Denver became the first U.S. city outside California to ban the practice of declawing cats. The Denver City Council unanimously approved an ordinance in mid-November that allows the procedure only when medically necessary, according to the The Denver Post.


"Having run anesthesia on declaw procedures, I can tell you it is an awkward and disheartening feeling to keep something alive while it is mutilated in front of you," said Kirsten Butler, a veterinary technician in Denver, according to the Post.


Declawing: An ongoing debate

cat scratching elderly man
People often have their cats declawed to keep them from scratching family members or furniture. Budimir Jevtic/Shutterstock


A legislative committee in New Jersey approved a bill in November 2016 that would add onychetomy — that's the medical term for the procedure — to a list of animal cruelty offenses, reports The bill passed the state assembly in January, and passed a Senate committee in June, but to become law, it must pass a vote in the New Jersey Senate.




There are also pending declawing bills in Rhode Island and West Virginia. They would all ban the procedure except when deemed medically necessary.

Are these bills the right answer?


"We're the professionals who care for cats and care for the people who love their cats," said NJVMA member, veterinarian Dr. Mike Yurkus. "We're not pro declawing, but we are anti-euthanasia. We want to see cats in loving households and not euthanized or relinquished to shelters where they are 72 percent more likely to be euthanized. We simply ask that you leave the declawing decision to doctors in consultation with their clients."







