Could the state of Illinois Ban Declawing Cats?
There is a proposed bill going through the state legislature of Illinois that would ban declawing cats in the state. Do you think this is the right thing to do, and when could this bill be passed?
According to an article from nbcchicago.com, there is a bill proposed in Illinois that would ban cat declawing. In the article they say...
"HB 1533, introduced by Rep. Barbara Hernandez, would prohibit surgical claw removal or declawing cats... Individuals who violate the law would incur a penalty of $500 for a first offense, with increased fines for additional offenses... Maryland and New York are the only other two states that have banned the practice, according to PETA. The practice is also banned in dozens of countries, primarily in Europe."
Is this the right thing to do? I don't have a cat and I am not up to date on what leading experts believe the pros and cons of cat declawing are. But on the National Humane Society's website, they say...
" The Humane Society of the United States opposes declawing and tendonectomies except for rare cases when it’s necessary for medical purposes, such as the removal of cancerous nail bed tumors."
I will also say that it appears to me that the growing trend is towards banning cat declawing, if the humane society is against it, dozens of nations have banned it, and now two US States have banned it, it seems the momentum is heading towards banning cat declawing. I don't have any idea when this bill could become law, but we will update you if it does, where do you stand on this issue?