RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — In a significant legislative move, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin signed into law a bill banning the practice of cat declawing across the Commonwealth, joining just two other states in the country to enact such a ban.
The bill seeks to make it illegal to declaw cats, with some exceptions, including if the cat has an illness or abnormal condition, or if it is considered medically necessary. There are also exceptions regarding the owner’s health, such as if he has a disease such as HIV.
Animal rights advocates pushing for this legislation have emphasized the harmful effects of declawing, which not only involves declawing but also amputating part of the cat’s toes. Critics say that many cats suffer lifelong consequences as a result of this procedure.
Governor Youngkin officially signed the bill into law in April, making it “illegal to declaw cats for anyone engaged in the practice of veterinary medicine except as necessary for therapeutic purposes” starting in July. Virginia now stands alongside New York and Maryland, as well as several individual cities, in banning this controversial practice.
The legislation was championed by House Delegate Marty Martinez, whose motivation stemmed from personal experience when his family adopted and declawed a cat that later developed serious behavior problems.
Tabitha Treloar, representative of the SPCA of Richmond, highlighted the lack of common knowledge about the declawing procedure and emphasizing its seriousness, as each finger is amputated up to the first joint.
An example of the repercussions of declawing is Anvil, a cat at the Richmond SPCA who now suffers from arthritis and has difficulty walking due to the procedure. According to PETA, declawed cats often face challenges relearning basic behaviors, such as walking and using the litter box, due to the immense pain they endure.
To resolve scratching problems without resorting to declawing, alternatives such as nail caps, scratching posts, and regular nail trimming are recommended by experts.
“To anyone considering this procedure, we really encourage them to choose humane alternatives.” Treloar said. “And most importantly, provide them with natural outlets to support their natural scratching behavior.”
