New York could become the first state to ban declawing a cat

ALBANY, NY – The New York legislature on Tuesday passed a bill that would make the state the first in the United States to make it illegal to deflate a cat.

The bill, which would subject veterinarians to a $ 1,000 fine for carrying out the operation, is now heading to the office of Governor Andrew Cuomo, whose representatives said he would review the draft bill. law before deciding whether he would sign it.

Declaring a cat is already illegal in much of Europe, as well as in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Denver, but no other US state has voted in favor of banning of this procedure, which involves amputating the cat's toe at the first leg.

Unlike human nails, the claws of a cat are attached to the bone. Therefore, to knock out a feline, it is necessary for a veterinarian to cut the tendon and nerves to remove the last segment of bone in the cat's toes.

Defenders of the ban include animal welfare advocates, cat owners and veterinarians who argue that the practice is cruel and barbaric. They predicted that other states would follow with their own bans.

"New York is proud to be the first," said the sponsor of the bill at the state assembly, Democrat Linda Manhattan, Linda Rosenthal. "It will have a domino effect."

The Society of Veterinary Medicine of the State of New York had opposed the bill, saying that declawing should be allowed as a last resort for felines that constantly scratch furniture or humans – or when the cat owner has a weakened immune system, which puts them at increased risk. of infection from a scratch.

"Medical decisions must be left to the discretion of fully trained, licensed and supervised professionals by the state," the company said in a memo opposed to the legislation.

Under the bill, veterinarians could still perform the procedure for medical reasons, such as an infection or injury.

The bill was introduced for the first time years ago and has slowly gained momentum as more and more lawmakers have expressed their support. Tuesday was the first time the measure was put to a vote, whether in the Senate or in the House.

Mr. Cuomo and the majority of legislators from both Houses of the Legislature are Democrats.