Lawmakers in Michigan submitted legislation recently to forbid the declawing of cats, which numerous animal supporters state is a “cruel and unnecessary” amputation.
State Rep. Jimmie Wilson, Jr., D — Ypsilanti, presented House Bill 4674 on May 25 to prohibit any surgery that avoids a regular claw operating, consisting of an onychectomy, a phalangectomy or tendonectomy, unless it is needed for the cat’s health.
For circumstances, HB 4674 mentioned the treatment might be carried out if the cat has a physical medical condition such as an existing or repeating health problem, injury, irregular condition, infection or illness. This does not consist of a “cosmetic or aesthetic reason or a reason of convenience in keeping or handling a cat.”
Under the legislation, which would change the state’s public health code, vets or “licensees” discovered breaching the restriction would be the ones dealing with disciplinary action.
Declawing domestic cats as an optional treatment is dissuaded by the American Veterinary Medical Association.
“The AVMA supports non-surgical alternatives to the procedure,” it composed on its website. “The AVMA respects the veterinarian’s right to use professional judgment when deciding how to best protect their individual patients’ health and welfare. Therefore, it is incumbent upon the veterinarian to counsel the owner about the natural scratching behavior of cats, the alternatives to surgery, as well as the details of the procedure itself and subsequent potential complications. Onychectomy is a surgical amputation and if performed, multi-modal perioperative pain management must be utilized.”
If gone by both chambers of the Michigan Legislature and signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Michigan would sign up with Maryland and New York as the 3 states to prohibit cat declawing, per People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, likewise referred to as PETA.
Maryland in 2015 signed up with New York, which prohibited declawing in 2019. But some cities in the United States, consisting of Pittsburgh and Allentown, Pennsylvania; Austin, Texas; Denver, Colorado; Madison, Wisconsin; St. Louis, Missouri; and 8 cities in California likewise forbid the treatment, according to PETA. And near 40 other nations do.
HB 4674 was described the House Agriculture Committee for factor to consider. Wednesday, June 7, is when the committee’s next conference is scheduled.
