petition to ban declawing of cats in the USA

[Babz]

No need to look, you already know the score.  But I love shocking pro declawers with it, the ones who think it's merely a kitty manicure. 

[Bazsmum]

Im squeamish sorry, but I can imagine..... 

[Babz]

Yes I agree that's part of the trouble, it should be renamed de-toeing or deknuckling instead of decalwing which makes it sound little more than a manicure. I recently came across this picture  http://clawsforever.ning.com/photo/declawed-the-full-horror?context=album&albumId=2570857%3AAlbum%3A8377 (don't look if you are squeamish) which I am using now to illustrate exactly what declawing entails, if that doesn't convince them nothing will.

[Bazsmum]

Glad the petition is moving again! 

I think the problem is they dont know the actual procedure and possibly think it being just the nail removed? 

[Babz]

2334 signatures now, the petition slowed down over Christmas and New Year but my sister and I have started emailing every cat rescue in England, Ireland Scotland and Wales asking for support so it's taking off again.    I have never come across anyone from the UK who is anything less than revolted by this horrible procedure and yet some US citizens (by no means all) regard it as routine as vaccinations!

[Bazsmum]

I know, Miafey the author of the thread is still thinking this to be real though and trying her best to get more info from the buyer! 

Glad to know that the battle is still ongoing and the army are strong, more and more valued peeps are putting their name to this! 

Keep up your fab work Babz! 

[Babz]

I hope it's a hoax, I can't bear to think of that poison happening here in the UK, it is most definately illegal.

meanwhile the petition stands at 2249, including a signature by Dr Jean Hovfe who is one of the leading anti-declaw campaigners in the USA.  Oh and the Barbi Twins signed as well 

[Bazsmum]

Hi Babz, Thought you might be interested in this linky.....   http://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk/index.php/topic,30141.msg539777/boardseen.html#new    Not sure if its a hoax or not though.... not a hoax by the Author but the source! 

[Babz]

Hello David, I agree that not all Americans condone declawing and if I implied that then I apologise.  Of course we know that not all US people are cruel, there are many thousands of USA citizens who are appalled by, and are fighting, this and I have made some good friends in America of wonderful people, who are ashamed that it is still happening in their country but because declawing is still legal and practiced in the USA then your country, and everyone who allows it to happen either because of their own convenience or because of apathy is tarred with the same brush and are guilty of a horrible cruelty to cats and we cannot comprehend why animal lovers there haven’t got on their hind legs and shouted about this, and had it banned countrywide, long before now.

You are quite wrong when you say “if the laws in the UK changes tomorrow and the headlines on all news papers there and news shows became "UK lifts ban on declawing cats", do you honestly believe that there would not be a rush of people to declaw their cats?” the reality is that most British people have never even heard of declawing. I don't know what kind of friends you have David, but whenever I explain to fellow Brits what it involves they are horrified that anyone would ever consider subjecting their cat to such a cruel amputation for their own convenience, without fail every single one is utterly disgusted, horrified and appalled that such a crippling surgery would be carried out just to save owners from actually having to train a cat to have good claw manners, this is because we know what is important in the UK, we know that a bit of furniture is of less value than a living being. We have our priorities right; we accept that cats come with claws. We view cats as the feeling, sentient beings they are. If we waited for education to change the law in the USA - we'd be waiting until the end of time. Greedy vets who offer declaw/neuter package deals etc aren't going to give up that HUGE income stream without a fight - this is evidenced by the CVMA financing the bill to stop cities creating laws to stop any kind of medical practice.

In actual fact long before U.K. legislation banned it, our vets themselves refused to perform declawing. UK Vets are repulsed by such a convenience mutilation and would not do it unless for a medical necessity for the animal’s own sake. Declawing wasn't technically made illegal in the U.K. until the Animal Welfare Act 2006 came into force and yet declawing cats was unheard of. This is why there never was, and never will be, a rush of people queuing up to get their cats declawed in the UK. There was not a single voice of opposition to the legal ban and it was not even considered newsworthy by the media here.  Even if the U.K. were to lift the ban, it would still be illegal under the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals treaty of 1986. Our cats are well protected from declawing, why aren’t yours? I note that you say you vehemently oppose declawing and support legislation to ban it and I applaud you for that, but really it is no less than any animal lover would, and should, do.  The biggest mystery to me is why would anyone actually choose to mutilate their cat physically?

You go on to say, “Some of you felt signing the petition would do nothing to help get the laws changed. Well, it may and it may not. I would hesitate to say that a local city or state government would take a petition signed by members of other countries seriously.”
Well David, the petition has been proved to be effective already in helping to change the law in the cities in California that have banned declawing - evidenced by The Paw Project which thanked us for our help in allowing them to take a hard copy of the petition so far to the council meetings it attended. Also our UK campaigning emails to Californian city politicians were publicly noted as having impressed the councillors.
So, while thanking you for your advice and tips, we are actually having success in making our voices heard already, it isn’t veterinary groups in the UK that need to be writing letters it is YOUR vets who should be doing something about their colleagues who see declawing as a nice little earner, and it should be YOUR fellow countrymen campaigning for a ban on declawing.  We wouldn’t need to “get our UK voices heard” if you lot would get out onto the streets and campaign, lobby your councillors and government and kick apathy up the backside and fight for cat’s to have the right to whole and healthy paws. It isn’t enough to speak about the wrongs of declawing, what is needed is people to DO something about it.

Surely any right thinking individual can see that amputating the toe ends of cats is cruel, wrong and unnecessary?

[henrietta]

Thank you
                        Henrietta

[CoolCyberCats]

Hello all. I felt obligated  to respond in this thread for a few reasons.

I want to start by saying that not all Americans declaw or even agree with the practice. Some of us have or do try to do what we can to prevent it as well. It is not as if we are all "uncivilized" or cruel animal haters whose goal is to harm cats. But reading over all the posts in this thread (and there are a lot) gave me the impression that some of you seem to think so, and that bothers me, a great deal. After all, if the laws in the UK changes tomorrow and the headlines on all news papers there and news shows became “UK lifts ban on declawing cats”, do you honestly believe that there would not be a rush of people to declaw their cats? Sickening at it may be? If you say “No” then I simply do not believe you, since I personally have talked with UK friends who believe there would be.

I have vehemently opposed declawing all my life and have supported legislation to ban it when possible. I sell a lot on eBay and Amazon and every order I ship out comes with brochures to raise awareness on Feral Cats, Declawing, Fostering, Adopting and fixing your animals. My website has had this informational page since day 1: http://www.coolcybercats.com/articles/declawing.htm.

Signing of the petition is something I applaud. But rather than put down Americans in some posts I think you should stay to the idea of changing minds in North America. Defamatory remarks about Americans succeeds in annoying many of us, as I suppose defamatory remarks about your country would you (and I hope it would annoy you, it should). I happen to be a proud American and do take offense at some remarks said.

Some of you felt signing the petition would do nothing to help get the laws changed. Well, it may and it may not. I would hesitate to say that a local city or state government would take a petition signed by members of other countries seriously. The sad truth is that they are too busy trying to keep their local constituents happy and reelecting them. But this does not mean you cannot make your voices heard either. Has anyone considered a large petition on the merits of stopping declawing sent to members of the federal and state governments? The odds of a federal law happening may not be high, but raising awareness on that level is a good idea. And the legislators in states that are animal friendly may be a good start as well. As to who would be good members in congress to send the petitions to, consider Republican House Member Thaddeus McCotter, who recently introduced House Bill HR3501: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.3501: To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a deduction for pet care expenses.

In addition, send copies to state governors and say that you feel relations between the fine state of <insert state name> and the people of the United Kingdom would be in better footing if certain practices of animal cruelty and abuse were not happening. Governors are always traveling (as are members of congress) to other countries to better relations and specifically trade relations.

How about national veterinary groups in the UK? Perhaps you could get one to sign a letter condoning declawing and then send a copy to the US equivalent. Or get a large enough petition and try sending it in with a good letter to CNN news or Fox News. Perhaps you could get one of our news shows to talk about it.
I do believe there are plenty of ways you can get your UK voice heard in a state or federal government here.

Okay, I said my piece.

Sincerely,

David (a proud American who opposes declawing and dog ear and tail cutting, dog or fluffybanana fighting, all hunting for sport and a whole host of other things)

[henrietta]

That's brilliant - well done!

                                           Henrietta

[Babz]

Here's an update of where it's banned and when.  The final one to come will be Marin who vote next week. I just hope other states take notice of this and start fighting declawing. The petition is now at 2167 

City When Banned Voting Pop. of City
West Hollywood 2003 5/0 35,000
Santa Monica 27/10/2009 6/1 100,000
San Francisco 3/11/2009 9/2 810,000
Beverly Hills 5/11/2009 5/0 40,000
Los Angeles 6/11/2009 11/0 4 million
Berkeley 10/11/2009 9/0 125,000
Culver City 24/11/2009 5/0 39,000
Burbank 08/12/2009 4/1 100,000

[Bazsmum]

 

[Janeyk]

 Great news 

[henrietta]

BRILLIANT NEWS!

                               Henrietta

[Babz]

Culver City California voted 5-0 last night to BAN declawing  Yay!!!!

[Bazsmum]

Fantastic news Babz! That's a lot of peeps to spread the word too! 

[Babz]

My sister just received this email, thanks are due to Purrs members too, so... 

Hi Ruth and UK troops,
It is officially illegal to declaw cats in Los Angeles, a city with well over 4 million people, as of today. Thank you for being such an important part of this crusade. We, the US troops, are forever grateful. We have protected millions of cats together.
Best wishes,
Jennifer Conrad
www.pawproject. org

[Den]

Too late then  they probably thought the site would go into meltdown.

They will put on my tombstone "The late babz" haha.  Ah well I can still go on there once approved and stick my oar in from time to time, might even get the petition link on there somewhere.

Actually, that's not a bad idea. Some of the things that people come up with in the pet section are 

[Babz]

Too late then  they probably thought the site would go into meltdown.

They will put on my tombstone "The late babz" haha.  Ah well I can still go on there once approved and stick my oar in from time to time, might even get the petition link on there somewhere.

[Den]

Digital Spy? The thread got locked later on in the evening http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=1164777 (sorry, only just been back on there).

Luckily though plenty of people were mortified and linked to several anti-declawing sites and mentioned the animal welfare act. I think they did good ... shame about the opening poster 

[Babz]

  just been on the darned thing to join up so I can go go go but it takes 24 hours to get approved and meanwhile I can't find the darned question again ggrrrrrrrrr.  It'll be old news by the time I get approved, find it and have my say

2125 on the petition

[Bazsmum]

Go Babz Go!!! 

[Babz]

Never in this world!! Well they have Buckley's because it's not only banned it's enshrined in the 2007 animal welfare act.  Struth we don't want this poison spreading here.  Even before it was illegal here no vet would do it, my sister was a vet nurse many years ago now and she said only once someone asked about declawing and the vet blew them to kingdom come.  I should think whoever posted that on digital spy will get slaughtered by the replies.  I wouldn't mind a go myself. 

[Den]

Well safe to say folks in the UK are decent. Was just reading a thread on digital spy where someone is asking if declawing cats should be re-assessed. Their cats were declawed whilst in the US and the poster soon realised how practical it is, after all cats don't need their claws!! So they are calling for the UK to lift the ban so that people can at least have the choice.

Well that thread was started late yesterday and already has 266 replies. I've not read all of them, but of those I have not one agrees with the poster. There are a lot of angry people putting the poster in their place 

[Janeyk]

Would you believe it, the poll is gone this morning!! Running scared because the pro declawers were losing! So, thank you for that latest update when you signed bazmum otherwise we wouldn't have known how it ended up, it went from more saying yes to a majority saying no

  I wondered where it was, I've just been to vote and nothing there! 

[Babz]

Would you believe it, the poll is gone this morning!! Running scared because the pro declawers were losing! So, thank you for that latest update when you signed bazmum otherwise we wouldn't have known how it ended up, it went from more saying yes to a majority saying no

[Bazsmum]

Voted! 

To date 61.61% a NO vote! 

[Babz]

2107 signatures now, and loads from the RD forum thanks again for the link Christine.

there's a poll in the Los Angeles Daily News "Do you think cats should be declawed"  Please will you vote NO http://www.dailynews.com/ci_13797072?source=rv

Thank you xx

[Babz]

It's brilliant!  Thank you for supplying the idea and the link.

[Christine (Blip)]

It's a good level of support, I think 

[Babz]

Yes, and one of the members has posted the link to a poultry group they are in.  There's been quite a lively debate. 

[Bazsmum]

There is voting this week in Culver City and Burbank, CA so fingers are crossed for two more cities to ban declawing

  

If there are "F" words now flying about that will get even more viewing! 

[Babz]

That was a brilliant idea Christine, some good comments and some signatures, yipppeeeeeee 2076 now.

Great    Richard D himself does read the forum regularly - often on Sundays, I've noticed - so I hope he sees and is moved by your thread.  I didn't mention, but you've probably worked out, that the majority (by a whisker) of members of that forum are American, so you are reaching a target audience as well.

I hope he does read it, and sign, that would be such a bonus.  It's started to get a bit ugly on there now and F words flying 

There is voting this week in Culver City and Burbank, CA so fingers are crossed for two more cities to ban declawing

[Christine (Blip)]

That was a brilliant idea Christine, some good comments and some signatures, yipppeeeeeee 2076 now.

Great    Richard D himself does read the forum regularly - often on Sundays, I've noticed - so I hope he sees and is moved by your thread.  I didn't mention, but you've probably worked out, that the majority (by a whisker) of members of that forum are American, so you are reaching a target audience as well.

[Babz]

That was a brilliant idea Christine, some good comments and some signatures, yipppeeeeeee 2076 now.

[Babz]

Thanks Christine, I read your kind welcome.  There have been 6 signatures overnight, we're now on 2068.

Bazsmum, yeah..yippeeeee 

[Christine (Blip)]

Well, I've joined, I introduced myself but haven't posted otherwise so far in case they think I'm a troll   It's all atheists and non believers and it's way above my head! I'm just a simple gal. 

I fear I'm going to get shot down in flames when I post the link, but what the heck it's worth a try. Are you a member Christine?

I'm a member; I welcomed you on your initial thread    (spot the avatar  ); and I'm an atheist who enjoys it over there.

It's on and two have signed already. 

I'll go and check it out now 

[Bazsmum]

It's on and two have signed already. 

Way to go!!! 

[Babz]

It's on and two have signed already. 

[Babz]

Good point.

[Dawn F]

if claws an evolution don't tie in I don't know what does!

[Babz]

Well, I've joined, I introduced myself but haven't posted otherwise so far in case they think I'm a troll   It's all atheists and non believers and it's way above my head! I'm just a simple gal. 

I fear I'm going to get shot down in flames when I post the link, but what the heck it's worth a try. Are you a member Christine?

[Babz]

 Thank you very much!! I'll do that now. 

[Christine (Blip)]

I've signed.

Out of the 24 people I initially emailed asking for a signature, the following have not signed, nor bothered replying. It could be that my mail got caught in their spam filters [...]
Richard Dawkins [...]

If you want to contact Richard - and gain a lot of extra support, potentially - you should post on his own forum at http://forum.richarddawkins.net/

[SparkleCat]

My faith in my homeland is restored!!!!

Sparklecat and Tulip
xxxx

[Bazsmum]

What a fantastic lady...Im so happy that the message is being acknowledged.....Far and wide may it spread! 

Lets face it US has such pulls on other countries, surely they must take note of our beliefs and feelings towards this! 

[Babz]

This is humbling, this email just came to my sister from Jennifer Conrad a US vet who has been fighting declawing in the USA for years and has been laughed at for caring about cat's paws and has spent much of her own money in financing publicity about declawing , and yet she's made time to contact us in the UK. Right on Jennifer! On with the fight.

Dear Ruth and all of the cat lovers who took the time to write in support of declaw bans in California,
Thank you! Your work made a difference. It was such a pleasure meeting council members here and hearing them marvel at the number of emails they received from abroad. It was very powerful for them and helped them realize what a serious issue the banning of declawing is. There are now declaw bans in 6 California cities and those affect over 5 million people and probably about 2 or more million cats. Strong work! I am grateful to all of you and look forward to working with you as we approach the entire state of California.
Sincerely yours,
Jennifer Conrad, DVM
www.pawproject.org

[Babz]

Another email from Kriss Worthington in Berkeley

Dear Compassionate Cat Loving Community,
I am happy to report that the Declawing Ordinance in Berkeley passed by a 9-0 vote. 

Thank you very much for writing to express your support.

I added an amendment to the written proposal to treat this as a “wobbler”
giving discretion to the citing officer to treat it as an infraction or as a misdemeanor,

which is how the City of Berkeley treats many offenses.

Thanks for your advocacy.

Feel free to let us know any other issues we can help with. Kriss W

Kriss Worthington

Councilmember