New York Considering Banning Cat Declawing
In a milestone law passing, New York lawmakers have become the first state to outlaw the procedure of cat declawing. The bill, which had been fought for years by veterinary groups, bans several types of declawing surgeries. Exceptions are only in cases of medical necessity, but any surgeries for “cosmetic or aesthetic reasons” are forbidden.
“It’s unnecessary, it’s painful, and it causes the cat problems,” said Linda Rosenthal, a Manhattan Democrat and cat owner herself to the New York Times. “It’s just brutal.”
Other cities are following suites, like Los Angeles and Denver. Even several states like California, New Jersey, and Massachusetts are considering bans, according to the Humane Society of the United States.
As of right now, the declawing bill is waiting for the signature of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo. If the bill becomes law, violators could face a $1,000 fine. So far, there has been no friction other than some opposition from groups like the New York Veterinary Medical Society.
The new bill comes on the heels of an Albany bipartisanship: on Animal Advocacy Day pet owners and their animal masters flooded the Capitol and Democrats and Republicans joined forces to praise each other’s legislation while loving on each other’s pets.
By: Maytinee Kramer
