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 ...
How is 'breaking' an animal of a strong inborn instinct any less cruel?
Yes, I care about my Little Killer. I guess I care more about her than my furniture and blood. She still like to draw blood at least once a week - hence her name, but she is so sweet when she’d curled up sleeping on my chest.
My current kitty doesn’t go out and has his claws. Keep them trimmed and he doesn’t use them to slice and dice. Let them go and get ready for blood flowing.
Look, I don’t want to join the lunatic fringe, but declawing is just wrong.
kitties are great... as is. Thanks for being a caring kitty owner. We need more.
I think declawing is cruel. Some cats never get over the psychological damage it causes.
I had my sweet little “sainted” cat Allegra for almost 11 years and I had a beautiful leather chair, which she never touched. She never clawed anything. Why? I learned a trick that worked for me. An empty soda can with about 10 pennies in it, sealed with duct tape. Whenever she started doing something inappropriate, such as jumping on my kitchen table or counters, I would shake the can, with no eye contact of course, and she’d run. The noise rattled her. After a while, all she had to do was see the can and she’d take off. Worked for me.
However, if declawing weren't an option for me, I would not have been able to rescue so many cats.
I have six cats, two giant dogs (and no, they are not declawed, but I did make them have major surgery to rip their innards out, and there are people who will yell about spaying and neutering, as well), three little kids, a husband who works from home, a lot of property to take care of, and my pets get better food and medical care than a lot of humans. And I home school.
I do my best to manage it all, but to be honest training a cat to scratch in a certain place or take the time to trim all of their claws, it's just not going to happen.
In a perfect world, I would take more time to do seven thousand things. In my reality, though, taking in strays and throw aways makes me, and anyone else who does the same, a pretty good person, even if we disagree on methods. I don't like the fact that my neighbor has an outdoor dog. But, he's sweet and gets lots of lovin and scritchin, especially from my kids. He's happy. I wouldn't keep a dog that way, but HE IS HAPPY.
And my kitties are very happy, too.
If others on this thread think I would be better off having "rocks" as pets, well, they can talk to all of the people who have said, "Dang, I wish I could be a cat and live at your house." My kitties have their own lounging room, for crying out loud!!
Some of my brood...Mama and babies (now grown), rescued from under a deck when the babies were about four weeks old.
Do you spay/neuter your animals?
Both of the cats came to us that way so I had no choice in the matter, but the dogs, nope.. won’t do it. So, you’ll find no hypocrite here. All my animals are inside animals..
Well, I admire your consistency. :-)
Wow! All that feline beauty in one place. You’re mighty lucke!
thank you for that.
I can’t imagine what it must be like to see them all together milling around. They are so beautiful. You must post more photos.
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