ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Minnesota is not exactly purring down the path to becoming the seventh state to make it illegal to declaw cats under a proposed new law.
Banning declawing
The backstory:
Animal rights advocates have suggested declawing bans because they say it’s inhumane.
Veterinarians actually have to amputate the last bone in each toe.
Dig deeper:
Several studies show felines have ongoing pain, and they often develop other health problems connected to the surgery.
A lot of veterinary schools, including the University of Minnesota, won’t even teach students how to do it anymore.
But about 20% of cat owners have their pet cats declawed to protect their furniture or their kids.
Minnesota bill
Local perspective:
The bill that stalled on a party line vote in a House committee on Wednesday would create a full ban except in cases where declawing is medically necessary for the cat.
People caught doing it would face escalating fines starting at $500.
The other side:
The state veterinarians association doesn’t support it, though.
They say it should be rare, but veterinarians should have room to decide whether declawing is necessary, especially for cat owners with autoimmune disease or blood clotting issues making them vulnerable to scratching.