Posted on 09/09/2009 12:45:55 AM PDT by nickcarraway
In this pet-crazy town, it sounds like a no-brainer: a proposed ban on the declawing of cats, framed by supporters as a simple animal cruelty measure.
But the ban is opposed by the San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and others. While the SFSPCA opposes declawing in general and does not practice it at its hospital, it argues that politicians shouldn't regulate the medical procedures. And the organization's director worries the proposed law could actually lead to more abandoned or euthanized cats.
Crafted by San Francisco's Animal Welfare Commission, an advisory body, and sponsored by Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, the legislation would bar the onychectomy (declawing) and tendonectomy (removal of the flexor tendon) procedures in San Francisco, unless they are deemed medically necessary.
The measure would effectively halt the procedures that cat owners have used largely to save themselves and their furniture from scratches. The practice, veterinarians say, has widely fallen out of favor in recent years anyway and is already banned in West Hollywood and about 25 countries, including the United Kingdom.
If passed, the legislation would become effective before a new state law is enacted in January that would prohibit local jurisdictions from creating legislation to ban declawing. The proposal also comes six years after the Board of Supervisors passed a nonbinding measure opposing declawing, and two years after West Hollywood's similar ordinance survived a legal challenge by the California Veterinary Medical Association. The association, which represents more than 6,000 California vets, also opposes San Francisco's ordinance.
Mirkarimi noted that declawing involves not only removing claws but also the last bone of each toe; his measure compares the procedure to cutting off a person's finger at the last joint. The legislation also discusses the importance of claws to cats' health and well-being.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
“it argues that politicians shouldn’t regulate the medical procedures. And the organization’s director worries the proposed law could actually lead to more abandoned or euthanized...”
substitute humans for cats and you have Obamacare...
I got stuck with my ex-wife’s cat when she left. FIrst thing I did was get that critter declawed.
Now all is fine.
My curtains, couches and the occasional pant leg from a hanging garment in my closet is now safe.
If this declawing ban passes can we expect a dramatic rise in back-alley coat-hanger declawings?
I had no choice but to declaw my 2 cats back in 96 since my husband had been diagnosed with chronic lymphocitic leukemia. Even a small scrape which most of us wouldn't even notice had the potential to kill him.
Twice it almost did, once as he barely scuffed the top of his hand and the scuff turned into a staph infection. The other minor scratch was one he didn't even realize he had and it too turned into a staph infection. Both times he was hospitalized for close to 2 weeks and there was talk of having to amputate his arm if the IV antibiotics didn't work.
Since we never knew when the staph would follow a small injury there was no way to be proactive. As a consequence he had to always wear long sleeves (in Houston and Dallas where it gets pretty hot), pants or jeans, turn in his razor for an electric model along with other changes.
I suppose it would have been more humane to kill the cats rather than to take them in and have them declawed.
Having them declawed didn't stop them from catching mice and lizards or climbing a 6 foot wood privacy fence or running off any cat interloper who ventured into their territory. These cats were indoor cats but on occasion they'd go outside with us when we were out in the backyard. We had a running joke as we could always tell which lizards were backyard lizards and which were front yard lizards since the backyard lizards had no tail. Both cats would kill the mice but would only ‘play’ with the lizards.
I am against cat declawing because it is just as cruel as it is portrayed. If you don’t want your stuff clawed up then don’t have a cat, they can be broken of it btw, I’ve done it with my cats. I just don’t think the gov’t should be involved in the decision.
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A cat without claws would be like a rose without thorns.
Naturally. Declawing to a cat would be the same as removing the tips of your fingers up to the first joint.
They also sell little rubber claw sheaths for cats.
[I think they’re sorta glued on and changed out every so often]
...can we expect a dramatic rise in back-alley coat-hanger declawings...
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Pretty good....
When I was a lad I longed for declawed cats as we were so poor that we had to run around with no pants on so the cat could have a dangling toy to play with....
Excellent article.:)=^..^=
My Little Kller
“I am against cat declawing because it is just as cruel as it is portrayed.”
Complete nonsense. Over the years I have had 6 cats declawed and know many other who had it done. None of them showed the slightest effect after the procedure. I challenge the anti declawing fanatics to see if they can tell a declawed cat from a clawed one just by looking at them or their behavior. Banning declawing would result in fewer people adopting cats and more cats being killed in shelters. But what’s new, many liberal feel good policies result in more death for no benefit.
San Francisco. Declawing cat: banned. Full term abortion: allowed. Figures.
I completely agree. My two cats, Mitzi (7) and Gracie (3), both recovered feral kittens, are both completely indoor cats who were spayed and declawed when they each reached six months in age. In both cases, the vet told me that they would probably get around very gingerly for a period of time because of the procedure. However, when each of them came home, they ran, jumped, and wrestled with me just like nothing had happened. Without declawing, I would have never owned a cat; yet they were a Godsend when my late wife died and I didn't have an empty house to come home to every day.
I also now have two new kittens recovered from feral mothers living under my front porch. Both Rhiannon (Rhia) and Seraphim (Sara) are doing fine and they will both be declawed and spayed at six months as well.
These are four recovered kittens who, without declawing, would be living short and brutal lives outdoors. I have nothing to apologize for.
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When declawing is outlawed, only outlaws will declaw.
I used to be in favor of declawing until I found out what it really entailed......My cat is great, she doesn't scratch anything other than her scratching post plus I ocassionally do clip her front claws.....
Anyway, to be practical, if you life in SF and want your cat declawed I supposed you can take him over to Pacifica or Daly City or San Bruno, there are all but about 15 minutes away.
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