It’s official: Maryland has become the second US state to ban cat declawing. This new law will come into force in October 2022.
You may not know it, but cat declawing (or onyxectomy) is a surgical operation that involves removing the feline’s claws by amputating the last phalanx of each finger.
Unsurprisingly, this practice considered cruel and painful is prohibited in many countries, including France. In 2019, New York became the first U.S. state to outlaw the permanent declawing of cats.
Photo credit: illustration image / Istock
Another US State Bans Cat Declawing
And the least we can say is that this decision served as an example. Indeed, the Governor of Maryland (Larry Hogan) signed a bill this week to ban onyxectomy.
Maryland is one step closer to becoming the second US state to ban the declawing of cats https://t.co/IPCXvnUeSj
— CNN (@CNN) March 19, 2022
“Our beloved cats, who cannot defend themselves, need us to protect them”, said Democratic Senator Cheryl Kagan in a press release. The new law will come into force in October 2022.
Consequently, veterinarians will no longer have the right to perform this operation. However, declawing will remain possible for medical reasons. Healthcare professionals who break the law face fines of up to $1,000.
Photo credit: illustration image / Istock
For their part, defenders of declawing claim that onyxectomy is a way to “save” cats from euthanasia and fight once morest abandonment. The reason ? Some owners cannot stop their pets from scratching furniture and other objects in the house.
Research suggests that declawing can make behavior problems worse. For example, tomcats that have had their claws removed are more likely to bite.
As a reminder, there are several alternatives to onyxectomy in cats. Specialists recommend cutting or filing the claws of the animal.
