San Francisco Board of Supervisors Condemns Cat Declawing

On September 23, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors adopted without opposition a resolution condemning cat declawing and urging cat owners and veterinarians to abandon the practice.

This follows a unanimous request by the San Francisco Commission of Animal Control and Welfare that the Board of Supervisors ban cat declawing within San Francisco.

Supervisor Gerardo Sandoval instead introduced the resolution condemning cat declawing. The resolution argues that cat declawing is both unnecessary and cruel,

WHEREAS, an onychectomy is often a non-therapeutic amputation, or declawing of the third phalanx (or tip) of a cat’s paw; and,

WHEREAS, this surgical claw removal severs the attached muscles, tendons, and nerves in the front paws and can lead to bone fragments, arthritis, abscesses, biting, litter box avoidance, and degenerative claw regrowth; and,

WHEREAS, more sensible and humane alternatives exist for guarding human safety against cat scratching;

Supervisor Sandoval said that depending on the response from the public over this resolution, he may yet introduce an ordinance that would ban cat declawing in San Francisco.

The full text of the resolution can be read here.

Sources:

Clamping down on cat declawing. Simone Sebastian, San Francisco Chronicle, September 19, 2003.