Santa Monica City Council to consider animal declawing issue tonight [Updated]

[Updated at 7:04 a.m.: The Santa Monica City Council voted 5 to 1 in favor of directing staff to prepare an ordinance that, if passed, would restrict animal declawing in the city. Council members Kevin McKeown, Gleam Davis, Mayor Ken Genser, Pam O'Connor and Robert Holbrook voted in favor, Richard Bloom opposed, and Bobby Shriver was absent, having left the late-running meeting before the vote.]

The Santa Monica City Council is set to decide tonight whether to start the process of restricting animal declawing within the city. The proposal by Council members Kevin McKeown and Gleam Davis directs the city’s staff to prepare an ordinance in time for it to be able to take effect no later than Dec. 31.

The issue of domestic cat declawing has gained new urgency for proponents of local bans because of a state law signed July 2 by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger that gives the state authority over medical scope-of-practice issues and prevents cities from passing ordinances banning medical procedures starting Jan. 1.

Dr. Jennifer Conrad, director of the Santa Monica-based Paw Project, a nonprofit advocacy group that brought the issue to the Santa Monica City Council, said her group has been trying for a long time to get more local bans, “but now the cities realize it’s now or never.”

West Hollywood banned declawing in 2003. The decision was overturned by a Los Angeles judge in 2005 after a challenge by the California Veterinary Medical Assn. but was reinstated by a state appeals court in 2007. Under the new state law, West Hollywood’s ban will stand, as would any other municipalities’ bans that take effect before Jan. 1. 

The CVMA, which represents more than 6,000 veterinary professionals, was a sponsor of the state law.

“We believe that the decision to perform a medical or surgical procedure should be made by the owner of the cat in consultation with their veterinarian,” says Dr. Mark Nunez, association president.

Cat declawing may be performed by vets for both medical and behavioral reasons, such as to stop furniture scratching. The CVMA says it should be a last-resort option for vets and pet owners, but opponents of the practice compare it to amputation.

Councilman McKeown called cat declawing “an unacceptable act of animal cruelty” and said that his proposal has the support of “many, if not most” Santa Monica veterinarians. 

If the Santa Monica City Council decides to go forward in pursuing the proposal, there would be public hearings before a council vote on an ordinance.

San Francisco is currently considering a similar proposal.

[Updated at 7:51 p.m., Sept. 23: An earlier version said the West Hollywood decision was overturned by a Los Angeles judge in 2003.]

-- Anne Colby

Photo: Alexander Natruskin / Reuters

Comments

[Michele S.]

This is fantastic news and I pray that an ordinance will be passed against declawing.

As long as some vets continue to persuade clients that amputating the tips of toes is okay, because "they get over it" or that "it doesn't hurt much", what hopes have we of stamping out other acts of animal cruelty in our society? We need to educate people that animals are sentient creatures with feelings, not just inanimate objects at our disposal.

[amy lynn]

WOW - this is incredible. I am so grateful that people are really looking after our furry friends. I was harped at for years by my 5-years-older- than- i Aunt for years as a kid and teen with the facts about declawing. I thought "crazy"! and then began to do the research. Then i realized what a terrible, selfish thing.

I live with my folks and am a disabled adult. They asked when we could take my kittens in to be declawed. I said never, and then taught them (err, the cats) how to treat the furniture, made sure they (2 kitties, now 7 years old) had lots of scratching posts - and all cats don't like the same posts. It was so fun when we would find the right one! My very youngest would never use the sisal, but loves her corrugated cardboard so much, she snuggles it after using it!

My brother's cat came here to live and her claws were removed when she was 5. It was horrible- my folks kept her gone a long time so she wouldn't come home with blood dried on her paws, like our family cats did when I was 9. They were so depressed (and i can only imagine how much pain they were in ) and listless for so long, we thought we would lose them. It took a long time for them to feel OK again, to finally get off my folks' bed.

My mother just told me the vet "assured her" that all that is removed in a declawing is "the sheath that holds the claw in! They don't use that!". So I don't blame her... the furniture was ruined. A trusted vet told her it was OK. But it just isn't. Good for the City Council for at least bringing this to the table.

[alice in lala land]

LOL.. so declawing a cat is "animal abuse" but cutting off their testicles or removog their reproductive parts through MAJOR surgery is just fine with the animal rights nutcases...in fact they want it to be the LAW that animals are surgically made sterile... CVMA has it right.. it tis a PERSONAL decision to be made in consultation with your veterinarian.. My bet is that none of these "council people" have a degree in veterinary science... LEAVE MY PET ALONE

[Susan]

BRAVO SANTA MONICA!!! I think a declaw BAN is completely necessary since the majority of vets cannot be trusted to follow the AVMA guidelines to inform their clients of natural cat behavior & the true nature of declaw surgery. Education isn't working, it's not happening! In my city vets blatantly disregard their oath "to do no harm" & pander declawing, encourage it, cross-sell it in spay/neuter packages, advertise it in coupon magazines, & essentially have brainwashed their human clients into believing amputating knucklebones is routine cat care! As the founder of a cat rescue network, I have witnessed firsthand the physical, emotional, & behavioral problems declawing causes & the abandonment & relinquishment that follows. In fact I live with a rescued declawed cat that has caused severe urine damage to my home. Perhaps if the vet community started tracking their declawed patients they would see the truth too, but we all know it's not in the best interest of their back pockets to do so. Their casual attitude toward declawing has caused humans to treat their cats as mere possessions that can be carved up & easily disposed of, it's clear they are not of service to their animal client so the lawmakers need to step in to protect cats from this needless horror. Santa Monica, please protect the cats in your city & BAN this atrocity so we can follow in your humane footsteps!