PAWS NEED CLAWS CAMPAIGN
Kind, easy, & effective scratching solutions for peacefully co-existing with cat claws.
Every cat deserves their whole, healthy paws with their natural, beneficial claws!
Cat claws do not have to lead to furniture damage, declawing, or relinquishment.
Celebrate claws - cats do!
Every cat deserves their whole, healthy paws with their natural, beneficial claws!
Cat claws do not have to lead to furniture damage, declawing, or relinquishment.
Celebrate claws - cats do!
"BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD" ~M Gandhi
**Join The World and Outlaw Declawing of Animals**
Outlaw the declawing of any animal worldwide. Most of the world does not declaw and for good reason. In practically every country where cats are companion animals, declawing is illegal or effectively banned. It is still common in the U.S. and Canada, why? http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/327400811
*ADVOCACY TIP* DON'T USE VETS that consider declawing as routine cat care! There's many ethical vets who put the physical & emotional health & well-being of their feline patients over economic profit & refuse to declaw! Check www.declaw.com!
**Check out the new Best Friends Community Network Page** CELEBRATE~^..^~CLAWS! http://network.bestfriends.org/celebrateclawsnotdeclaw/news/
**SPREAD THE "STOP DECLAW" WORD!** T-shirts, stickers, & gifts! http://www.cafepress.com/buy/declaw/-/cfpt2_/x_19/cfpt_/source_searchBox/copt_/y_4
**NEW $5 "DECLAW WHY IT'S A BAD IDEA" POSTER FOR VET OFFICES & SHELTERS**: http://www.avar.org/whatsnew_catdeclawposter2.asp
*ADVOCACY TIP* DON'T ADOPT from or DONATE to pro-declaw shelters or those that declaw their rescue cats to market them for adoption. Support shelters that actively educate cat parents about humane claw care & declawing and adopt to families who don't declaw!
**DECLAW *BANNERS**for your email signatures and websites (under CARE BUTTONS/BANNERS): http://www.xmission.com/~emailbox/graphics.htm 
**The WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA DECLAW BAN! 10/2007**
We salute Dr. Jennifer Conrad, The Paw Project, Attorney Orly Degani, and West Hollywood Mayor John Duran for their work on the WEST HOLLYWOOD DECLAW BAN!
In a Beverly Press article "Supreme Court Upholds Ban on Declawing" by Amy Lyons (Vol 17 No. 42, Oct 18, 2007), Mayor Duran said, "...From the time I introduced this ordinance, I was confident that protecting animals from mutilation was the right thing to do no matter who opposed it. Declawing amounts to amputation and we should call it what it is. Animals deserve the right to exist the same way they were born and not be "adapted" to meet people's needs...Cruelty to animals and mutilation of animals is not consistent with our civic values...Animals are not property, they are living creatures here on our planet, just as we are. I think someday people will look back and say "wow, they really did that to their animals?"" http://www.parklabreanewsbeverlypress.com/
WE THANK YOU FOR SETTING THIS PRECEDENT IN OUR COUNTRY!!
**City of Norfolk, VA BANS=^..^=DECLAWING!!! 4/2007 "Norfolk is taking a stand for it's feline friends. If you want to de-claw your kitty, you're going to have to go another city. Norfolk recently passed a law that makes de-clawing illegal for anything but medical purposes..."http://www.wtkr.com/Global/story.asp?S=6427984&nav=ZolHbyvj
**DO YOU HAVE A DECLAWED CAT WITH ISSUES?** Try these flower essence remedies created by a veterinarian!
DECLAW REMEDY:http://www.spiritessence.com/?action=categories&cat=declawremedy&class=catbehavior&kind=cats
LITTERBOX ISSUES: http://www.spiritessence.com/index.php?action=library&act=show&item=litterboxproblemsincats
*ADVOCACY TIP*: ONLY RENT from pet friendly landlords and property managers that DO NOT REQUIRE cat declawing! Landlords can require a security deposit to cover any pet damage, or recommend their cat tenants wear SOFT PAWS or have multiple scratch pads in the apartment.
RESOURCES: WHEN LANDLORDS REQUIRE CAT DECLAWING
If you or any of your clients or adopters are dealing with a landlord that requires cat declawing, please pass along the resources listed below that can inspire and empower them to challenge this requirement. In many cases landlords have no idea that the surgery actually entails painful amputation. Nor are they familiar with all the products on the market today to help humanely manage cat claws and natural scratching.
The vast majority of cats can easily be redirected to do their healthy scratching on cardboard scratch pads and sisal posts, and there is Soft Paws (http://www.softpaws.com) and Sticky Paws (http://www.stickypaws.com) for the stubborn, or harder to train cats. These resources also include some of the anecdotal evidence that declawed paws can result in, or develop into, behavioral problems like litterbox avoidance, which can lead to urine smelling and soaked carpets, floors, and baseboards - a much more extensive and expensive property damage for the landlords to repair.
~*~*~*~*~*^..^~*~*~*~*^..^*~*~*~*~*~*
The MAPCA’s Pets in Housing Program
"Declawing of cats can not be required by management. As the pet owner is fully liable for all destruction of property, management should not anticipate the possibility of damage and request this very painful procedure." http://www.mspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=advo_Pets_in_Housing_Program
Best Friends for Life - Humane Housing for Animals & People
Published in 2001 by the Doris Day League and Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty To Animals.
page 50, "Declawing of cats can not be required by management..."
http://www.ddal.org/pdf/bffl.pdf
Massachusetts Animal Coalition Tips For Landlords DO and DON'Ts for Landlords
“DON’T: Require declawing of cats. This is a cruel and disfiguring procedure which often results in more severe behavior problems. Scratching is better solved with behavior modification and management techniques on the part of the cat owner.” http://www.massanimalcoalition.org/landlords.html#_DO’S_AND_DON’Ts
"Landlords should not require you to declaw your cat. As a renter, you are already fully liable for all destruction of property. Often, landlords don’t understand that declawing is very cruel and can lead to chronic pain, neurosis, and even skin and bladder problems. Educate your landlord about declawing, pointing out that many declawed cats develop aversions to the litterbox and begin urinating and defecating outside of it.”
http://www.helpinganimals.com/animalsHome_gi_renting.asp
"…Bryan Pease, an attorney with the Animal Protection and Rescue League in San Diego,,,. “There's no way that federal law or any other law would require cats to be declawed because it's such a cruel procedure. It's been outlawed in several jurisdictions.”
http://www.hidesertstar.com/articles/2006/09/16/news/news2.txt
Will Declawing my Cat Reduce Damage to Household Items?
By Wisconsin Humane Society
http://www.wihumane.org/education/WisconsinHumaneSociety-Declawing.aspx
*Published 2/1/03 on CourierPostOnline.com, "Eighty percent of the cats that are surrendered that are declawed are euthanized because they have a behavioral problem…. Declawed cats frequently become biters and also stop using litter boxes… One or the other…,” said William Lombardi shelter director, Gloucester County, New Jersey.
*“Gloucester County Animal Shelter, says Lombardi, who’s been the director for three years and an animal control officer for 25. Cats with claws, he says, are always surrendered for human-related issues, mainly “moving and can’t take the cat with us.” Declawed cats, on the other hand, have behavior problems, and most who come in end up having to be euthanized. Even when Lombardi works with declawed cats and tries to place them in new homes, they often come back to the shelter for not using the litter box”.…”Almost all of our hotline calls are declawed cats with litter box issues,” says Pat Rock of the Oshkosh Area Humane Society in Wisconsin.” "The Declaw Dilemma", Nancy Lawson http://www.animalsheltering.org/resource_library/magazine_articles/may_jun_2004/declaw_dilemma.pdf
*In a study published in the January, 2001 JAVMA, 33% of 39 cats that underwent onychectomy developed "at least" one behavior problem immediately after surgery, with the most common problems being litter box problems and biting.
*Seventy percent (70%) of cats turned in to pounds and shelters for behavioral problems are declawed. (National Survey from pounds & shelters obtained by Caddo Parrish Forgotten Felines & Friends) http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/declaw.html
*From the Summer 2002 issue of PETA’s Animal Times: “A survey by a Delaware animal shelter showed that more than 75% of the cats turned in for avoiding their litter boxes had been declawed.”
*In my own three-year experience, 95% of calls about declawed cats related to litter box problems, while only 46% of clawed cats had such problems—and most of those were older cats with physical ailments. Of my calls, only declawed cats have cost their owners security deposits, leather sofas and floorboards. And it’s mostly declawed cats that have been prescribed pain killers, anti-depressants, tranquilizers and steroids. Two-thirds of my calls are about litter box problems. In 90% of those cases, the cat is declawed, sick or old. In 7 years, only 3 people have called about a “scratching-the-sofa problem” - yet countless of “healthy” declawed cats have peed on sofas."
Annie Bruce, cat consultant & author of CAT BE GOOD, www.goodcatswearblack.com
* “Anecdotal evidence of behavior changes occurring post-onychectomy provides compelling support for the observation that declawing cats increases their likelihood of expressing litter box avoidance and aggressive biting. The studies done so far to analyze this relationship have been limited in their ability to control multiple variables and form a definitive conclusion. However, the observations of many veterinary practitioners and behaviorists give strong support for these connections.”
AVAR's Cat Declawing Position Statement http://www.avar.org
* “Dr. Susan Swanson, DVM, owner of the Cat Care Clinic in Mahtomedi, Minnesota, notes that "year after year, the declawed cats that I see in my practice have higher rates of litter box issues such as inappropriate elimination"…Nearly every shelter and rescue group director in the country makes the same observation. Sore paws that don't feel like digging in the litter may be one reason why declawed cats are more prone to litter box rejection. (The accumulated stress buildup from lack of scratching may also be a contributing factor, as stress is implicated in half of all urinary tract problems).”
"Why Cats Need Claws", Gary Lowenthal
http://www.oahs.org/pdf/WhyCatsNeedTheirClaws.pdf#search=%22%22%3AWhy%20Cats%20Need%20Claws%22%22+
* “Asthma and cystitis (inflammation of the bladder) have also been linked to the stress of declaws…consider the possibility of post-surgery behavior problems – especially litterbox issues and aggression…reports abound among cat owners and some animal behaviorists also notice a link. Karen Overall, VMD, Ph.D a specialist in veterinary medicine, has seen transient aggression and reluctance to use the litterbox after declaw. There is also the issue of trust...Interestingly, the humane society workers have made these claims about declawed cats for years”.
"Declaw Details", Dr. Brenda McClelland, DVM, Cat Fancy Magazine Jan 2006 p. 44-47
* “…San Francisco Care and Control ("some declawed cats become more nervous biters; others are known to become even more destructive to furniture than before the operation; and many cats stop using the litterbox"), East Bay SPCA ("deprived of their primary form of defense, declawed cats become nervous, fearful, and/or aggressive, often using their only remaining defense, their teeth. Some cats stop using their litter pan. This may be associated to the discomfort of scratching in the litter after the surgery"), and Palo Alto Humane Society ("we have a no-declaw policy"). These organizations and the individuals working there are obviously highly motivated to find each cat a home and do not wish to see the cat returned. They have found that declawed cats, with a disproportionate rate of biting and house soiling, have a relatively low adoption success rate.”
Dr. Jennifer Conrad, DVM, The Paw Project, http://www.pawproject.com/html/faqs.asp
* “In some cases, when declawed cats use the litterbox after surgery, their feet are so tender they associate their new pain with the box...permanently, resulting in a life-long adversion to using the litter box. Other declawed cats that can no longer mark with their claws, they mark with urine instead resulting in inappropriate elimination problems, which in many cases, results in relinquishment of the cats to shelters and ultimately euthanasia. Many of the cats surrendered to shelters are surrendered because of behavioral problems which developed after the cats were declawed. Risk factors for relinquishment of cats to an animal shelter: "Among 218 cats relinquished to a shelter, more (52.4%) declawed cats than non-declawed cats (29.1%) were reported by owners to have inappropriate elimination problems." Source: World Small Animal Veterinary Association – 2001 http://maxshouse.com/facts_about_declawing.htm
“…our cat care coordinator, was becoming increasingly disturbed at the euthanasia rate for declawed cats and decided to conduct an informal study. She discovered that more than 80% of declawed cats that were either returned or owner surrendered that year were done so because of litterbox problems or biting.”
http://declaw.lisaviolet.com/declawshelter.html
“Behavioral problems frequently haunt declawed cats. By far, the commonest thing we see is cats not using the litterbox. When cats have stress beyond what they can take, it often shows up as a litterbox problem and declawing makes them stress intolerant, in general, for the rest of their lives,” Dr. Harrison, DVM. Dr. Harrison gets 3-12 calls a day about litter box problems in cats and, after ruling out medical problems, 90 percent of the cats with litter box aversion are declawed cats.“Declawing: Behavior Modification or Destructive Surgery”, Animal Issues, 1998
“Chronic physical ailments such as cystitis or skin disorders can be manifestations of a declawed cat’s frustration and stress.”
David E. Hartnett, DVM http://www.petstation.com/declaw.html
*In a recent study published October, 2001, JAVMA by Dr. Gary J. Patronek, VMD, PhD., “…declawed cats were at an increased risk of relinquishment.”
If you or any of your clients or adopters are dealing with a landlord that requires cat declawing, please pass along the resources listed below that can inspire and empower them to challenge this requirement. In many cases landlords have no idea that the surgery actually entails painful amputation. Nor are they familiar with all the products on the market today to help humanely manage cat claws and natural scratching.
The vast majority of cats can easily be redirected to do their healthy scratching on cardboard scratch pads and sisal posts, and there is Soft Paws (http://www.softpaws.com) and Sticky Paws (http://www.stickypaws.com) for the stubborn, or harder to train cats. These resources also include some of the anecdotal evidence that declawed paws can result in, or develop into, behavioral problems like litterbox avoidance, which can lead to urine smelling and soaked carpets, floors, and baseboards - a much more extensive and expensive property damage for the landlords to repair.
~*~*~*~*~*^..^~*~*~*~*^..^*~*~*~*~*~*
The MAPCA’s Pets in Housing Program
"Declawing of cats can not be required by management. As the pet owner is fully liable for all destruction of property, management should not anticipate the possibility of damage and request this very painful procedure." http://www.mspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=advo_Pets_in_Housing_Program
Best Friends for Life - Humane Housing for Animals & People
Published in 2001 by the Doris Day League and Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty To Animals.
page 50, "Declawing of cats can not be required by management..."
http://www.ddal.org/pdf/bffl.pdf
Massachusetts Animal Coalition Tips For Landlords DO and DON'Ts for Landlords
“DON’T: Require declawing of cats. This is a cruel and disfiguring procedure which often results in more severe behavior problems. Scratching is better solved with behavior modification and management techniques on the part of the cat owner.” http://www.massanimalcoalition.org/landlords.html#_DO’S_AND_DON’Ts
"Landlords should not require you to declaw your cat. As a renter, you are already fully liable for all destruction of property. Often, landlords don’t understand that declawing is very cruel and can lead to chronic pain, neurosis, and even skin and bladder problems. Educate your landlord about declawing, pointing out that many declawed cats develop aversions to the litterbox and begin urinating and defecating outside of it.”
http://www.helpinganimals.com/animalsHome_gi_renting.asp
"…Bryan Pease, an attorney with the Animal Protection and Rescue League in San Diego,,,. “There's no way that federal law or any other law would require cats to be declawed because it's such a cruel procedure. It's been outlawed in several jurisdictions.”
http://www.hidesertstar.com/articles/2006/09/16/news/news2.txt
Will Declawing my Cat Reduce Damage to Household Items?
By Wisconsin Humane Society
http://www.wihumane.org/education/WisconsinHumaneSociety-Declawing.aspx
*Published 2/1/03 on CourierPostOnline.com, "Eighty percent of the cats that are surrendered that are declawed are euthanized because they have a behavioral problem…. Declawed cats frequently become biters and also stop using litter boxes… One or the other…,” said William Lombardi shelter director, Gloucester County, New Jersey.
*“Gloucester County Animal Shelter, says Lombardi, who’s been the director for three years and an animal control officer for 25. Cats with claws, he says, are always surrendered for human-related issues, mainly “moving and can’t take the cat with us.” Declawed cats, on the other hand, have behavior problems, and most who come in end up having to be euthanized. Even when Lombardi works with declawed cats and tries to place them in new homes, they often come back to the shelter for not using the litter box”.…”Almost all of our hotline calls are declawed cats with litter box issues,” says Pat Rock of the Oshkosh Area Humane Society in Wisconsin.” "The Declaw Dilemma", Nancy Lawson http://www.animalsheltering.org/resource_library/magazine_articles/may_jun_2004/declaw_dilemma.pdf
*In a study published in the January, 2001 JAVMA, 33% of 39 cats that underwent onychectomy developed "at least" one behavior problem immediately after surgery, with the most common problems being litter box problems and biting.
*Seventy percent (70%) of cats turned in to pounds and shelters for behavioral problems are declawed. (National Survey from pounds & shelters obtained by Caddo Parrish Forgotten Felines & Friends) http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/declaw.html
*From the Summer 2002 issue of PETA’s Animal Times: “A survey by a Delaware animal shelter showed that more than 75% of the cats turned in for avoiding their litter boxes had been declawed.”
*In my own three-year experience, 95% of calls about declawed cats related to litter box problems, while only 46% of clawed cats had such problems—and most of those were older cats with physical ailments. Of my calls, only declawed cats have cost their owners security deposits, leather sofas and floorboards. And it’s mostly declawed cats that have been prescribed pain killers, anti-depressants, tranquilizers and steroids. Two-thirds of my calls are about litter box problems. In 90% of those cases, the cat is declawed, sick or old. In 7 years, only 3 people have called about a “scratching-the-sofa problem” - yet countless of “healthy” declawed cats have peed on sofas."
Annie Bruce, cat consultant & author of CAT BE GOOD, www.goodcatswearblack.com
* “Anecdotal evidence of behavior changes occurring post-onychectomy provides compelling support for the observation that declawing cats increases their likelihood of expressing litter box avoidance and aggressive biting. The studies done so far to analyze this relationship have been limited in their ability to control multiple variables and form a definitive conclusion. However, the observations of many veterinary practitioners and behaviorists give strong support for these connections.”
AVAR's Cat Declawing Position Statement http://www.avar.org
* “Dr. Susan Swanson, DVM, owner of the Cat Care Clinic in Mahtomedi, Minnesota, notes that "year after year, the declawed cats that I see in my practice have higher rates of litter box issues such as inappropriate elimination"…Nearly every shelter and rescue group director in the country makes the same observation. Sore paws that don't feel like digging in the litter may be one reason why declawed cats are more prone to litter box rejection. (The accumulated stress buildup from lack of scratching may also be a contributing factor, as stress is implicated in half of all urinary tract problems).”
"Why Cats Need Claws", Gary Lowenthal
http://www.oahs.org/pdf/WhyCatsNeedTheirClaws.pdf#search=%22%22%3AWhy%20Cats%20Need%20Claws%22%22+
* “Asthma and cystitis (inflammation of the bladder) have also been linked to the stress of declaws…consider the possibility of post-surgery behavior problems – especially litterbox issues and aggression…reports abound among cat owners and some animal behaviorists also notice a link. Karen Overall, VMD, Ph.D a specialist in veterinary medicine, has seen transient aggression and reluctance to use the litterbox after declaw. There is also the issue of trust...Interestingly, the humane society workers have made these claims about declawed cats for years”.
"Declaw Details", Dr. Brenda McClelland, DVM, Cat Fancy Magazine Jan 2006 p. 44-47
* “…San Francisco Care and Control ("some declawed cats become more nervous biters; others are known to become even more destructive to furniture than before the operation; and many cats stop using the litterbox"), East Bay SPCA ("deprived of their primary form of defense, declawed cats become nervous, fearful, and/or aggressive, often using their only remaining defense, their teeth. Some cats stop using their litter pan. This may be associated to the discomfort of scratching in the litter after the surgery"), and Palo Alto Humane Society ("we have a no-declaw policy"). These organizations and the individuals working there are obviously highly motivated to find each cat a home and do not wish to see the cat returned. They have found that declawed cats, with a disproportionate rate of biting and house soiling, have a relatively low adoption success rate.”
Dr. Jennifer Conrad, DVM, The Paw Project, http://www.pawproject.com/html/faqs.asp
* “In some cases, when declawed cats use the litterbox after surgery, their feet are so tender they associate their new pain with the box...permanently, resulting in a life-long adversion to using the litter box. Other declawed cats that can no longer mark with their claws, they mark with urine instead resulting in inappropriate elimination problems, which in many cases, results in relinquishment of the cats to shelters and ultimately euthanasia. Many of the cats surrendered to shelters are surrendered because of behavioral problems which developed after the cats were declawed. Risk factors for relinquishment of cats to an animal shelter: "Among 218 cats relinquished to a shelter, more (52.4%) declawed cats than non-declawed cats (29.1%) were reported by owners to have inappropriate elimination problems." Source: World Small Animal Veterinary Association – 2001 http://maxshouse.com/facts_about_declawing.htm
“…our cat care coordinator, was becoming increasingly disturbed at the euthanasia rate for declawed cats and decided to conduct an informal study. She discovered that more than 80% of declawed cats that were either returned or owner surrendered that year were done so because of litterbox problems or biting.”
http://declaw.lisaviolet.com/declawshelter.html
“Behavioral problems frequently haunt declawed cats. By far, the commonest thing we see is cats not using the litterbox. When cats have stress beyond what they can take, it often shows up as a litterbox problem and declawing makes them stress intolerant, in general, for the rest of their lives,” Dr. Harrison, DVM. Dr. Harrison gets 3-12 calls a day about litter box problems in cats and, after ruling out medical problems, 90 percent of the cats with litter box aversion are declawed cats.“Declawing: Behavior Modification or Destructive Surgery”, Animal Issues, 1998
“Chronic physical ailments such as cystitis or skin disorders can be manifestations of a declawed cat’s frustration and stress.”
David E. Hartnett, DVM http://www.petstation.com/declaw.html
*In a recent study published October, 2001, JAVMA by Dr. Gary J. Patronek, VMD, PhD., “…declawed cats were at an increased risk of relinquishment.”
ACTION ALERT-----=^..^=---National Veterinary Clinic Chain Promotes Cat Declawing: TELL BANFIELD THAT CAT DECLAWING IS Inappropriate and INHUMANE
Banfield, The Pet Hospital (Banfield), which has over 550 veterinary clinics across the United States, mostly in PetSmart stores (which is a separate business), plans to promote cat declawing through its new Optimum Wellness Plan for Kittens. The proposed new plan will begin later this fall and is expected to generate more income for Banfield. Specifically, Banfield plans to capture more business by having clients sign up for a new Optimum Wellness Plan for Kittens, which consists of a series of vaccinations followed by either a surgical sterilization or declaw procedure. The new plans does not instruct veterinarians who work for Banfield to counsel their clients about the risks of cat declawing and its deleterious effects on a cat.
AVAR opposes cat declawing, or onychectomy, because it is an amputation of a portion of a cat's front toes and sometimes those of the back feet. Declawing involves putting the cat under anesthesia and then cutting through each of the 10 last joints, including skin, tendons, and nerves, thereby removing the distal phalanx (last bone) of each toe. The recovery from declawing can be painful, lengthy, and there is the potential for postoperative complications. These include infection, hemorrhage, persistent "phantom" pain, lameness, and nail regrowth, sometimes requiring additional surgery. Because scratching is a natural behavior in cats, human caretakers should redirect this instinctive behavior by providing environmental enrichments to alter the cat's scratching behavior away form furniture. In addition to the substitution of an acceptable scratching post, the use of nail caps (Soft Paws), repellant material on target areas (Sticky Paws), and more frequent trimming of cats' nails frequently resolve the issue. Anecdotal evidence of behavior changes occurring post-onychectomy provides compelling support for the observation that declawing cats increases their likelihood of expressing litterbox avoidance and aggressive biting. The studies done so far to analyze this relationship have been limited in their ability to control multiple variables and form a definitive conclusion. However, the observations of many veterinary practitioners and behaviorists give strong support for these connections.
Please write a letter to Banfield, The Pet Hospital, and tell them that promoting cat declawing is inappropriate. Tell them that they should, instead, be informing their clients about proper cat care, including how to trim a cat's nails and promoting respect for cats by suggesting that clients work with their cat's basic nature instead of mutilating them.
Write and Email to:
Public Relations Department
Banfield, The Pet Hospital
8000 NE Tillamook Portland, OR 97213
owp@banfield.net, Internet.Inquiries@banfield.net, cs@petsmart.com, storehelp@petsmart.com, info@petsmartcharities.org , corpcommunications@ssg.petsmart.com, owp@banfield.net, iwpa@banfield.net, pcr@banfield.net , pcr@banfield.net , medical.questions@banfield.net ,
Banfield, The Pet Hospital (Banfield), which has over 550 veterinary clinics across the United States, mostly in PetSmart stores (which is a separate business), plans to promote cat declawing through its new Optimum Wellness Plan for Kittens. The proposed new plan will begin later this fall and is expected to generate more income for Banfield. Specifically, Banfield plans to capture more business by having clients sign up for a new Optimum Wellness Plan for Kittens, which consists of a series of vaccinations followed by either a surgical sterilization or declaw procedure. The new plans does not instruct veterinarians who work for Banfield to counsel their clients about the risks of cat declawing and its deleterious effects on a cat.
AVAR opposes cat declawing, or onychectomy, because it is an amputation of a portion of a cat's front toes and sometimes those of the back feet. Declawing involves putting the cat under anesthesia and then cutting through each of the 10 last joints, including skin, tendons, and nerves, thereby removing the distal phalanx (last bone) of each toe. The recovery from declawing can be painful, lengthy, and there is the potential for postoperative complications. These include infection, hemorrhage, persistent "phantom" pain, lameness, and nail regrowth, sometimes requiring additional surgery. Because scratching is a natural behavior in cats, human caretakers should redirect this instinctive behavior by providing environmental enrichments to alter the cat's scratching behavior away form furniture. In addition to the substitution of an acceptable scratching post, the use of nail caps (Soft Paws), repellant material on target areas (Sticky Paws), and more frequent trimming of cats' nails frequently resolve the issue. Anecdotal evidence of behavior changes occurring post-onychectomy provides compelling support for the observation that declawing cats increases their likelihood of expressing litterbox avoidance and aggressive biting. The studies done so far to analyze this relationship have been limited in their ability to control multiple variables and form a definitive conclusion. However, the observations of many veterinary practitioners and behaviorists give strong support for these connections.
Please write a letter to Banfield, The Pet Hospital, and tell them that promoting cat declawing is inappropriate. Tell them that they should, instead, be informing their clients about proper cat care, including how to trim a cat's nails and promoting respect for cats by suggesting that clients work with their cat's basic nature instead of mutilating them.
Write and Email to:
Public Relations Department
Banfield, The Pet Hospital
8000 NE Tillamook Portland, OR 97213
owp@banfield.net, Internet.Inquiries@banfield.net, cs@petsmart.com, storehelp@petsmart.com, info@petsmartcharities.org , corpcommunications@ssg.petsmart.com, owp@banfield.net, iwpa@banfield.net, pcr@banfield.net , pcr@banfield.net , medical.questions@banfield.net ,
4/26/06--Declawing Hurts. Urge AVMA To Oppose
It KINSHIP CIRCLE ACTION CAMPAIGN
http://www.KinshipCircle.org
SOURCE OF INFORMATION
First Declawing Ban in U.S. - West Hollywood, CA http://cats.about.com/cs/declawing/a/nodeclaw.htm
AVMA Position Statements: Declawing Of Domestic Cats http://www.avma.org/issues/policy/animal_welfare/declawing.asp
RESOURCE SITES
The Paw Project: http://www.pawproject.org/
DeClaw Dilemma: http://www.animalsheltering.org/resource_library/magazine_articles/may_jun_2004/declaw_dilemma.pdf
Declawing Cats: Issues & Alternatives: http://amby.com/cat_site/declaw.html
The Declawing Information Site: http://community-2.webtv.net/zuzu22/STOPDECLAW.COM/
Good Cats Wear Black: http://www.goodcatswearblack.com/declawing/about_declawing.htm
Cats International / The Truth About Declawing:http://www.catsinternational.org/articles/scratching_and_declawing/declawing.html
Written by Veterinarian, Dr. Christianne Schelling:http://www.declawing.com
Hey - Those Are My TOES!http://www.straypetadvocacy.org/html/declaw_detoe.html
A Directory to Every Major Declawing Site on the Net: http://www.de-clawing.com/
Why Cats Need Claws, by Gary Loewenthal: http://www.wholecatjournal.com/articles/claws.htm
==============================================
SAMPLE LETTER
Changing some words and personalizing your comments adds impact to your letter ==============================================
Headquarters: American Veterinary Medical Association
1931 North Meacham Road, Suite 100
Schaumburg, IL 60173
ph: 847-925-8070; fax: 847-925-1329;
email: avmainfo@avma.org
Governmental Relations Division: American Veterinary Medical Association
1910 Sunderland Place,
NW Washington, DC 20036-1642
ph: 800-321-1473; fax: 202-842-4360;
email: avmagrd@avma.org
Public policy opportunities for veterinarians:
MLutschaunig@avma.org
Dear AVMA:
I commend the AVMA for updating its position statement on feline declawing to "only after attempts made to prevent the cat from using its claws destructively or when its clawing presents a zoonotic risk for its owner(s)." However, veterinarians unified under the oath "above all, do no harm," ought to represent the well-being of animals. Neither the surgical amputation of an animal's toes at the last joint (onychectomy) nor the severing of tendons to disable a cat's claws (tendonectomy) is in the best interest of a cat. "Declawing represents a clear and undisputable risk to the cat," claims Dr. Nicholas Dodman, Professor of Behavioral Pharmacology and Director of the Behavior Clinic at Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine.
"Declawing is inhumane."
In fact, a Journal of Veterinary Surgery report shows 50% of 163 cats who underwent onychectomy suffered from direct postoperative complications such as pain, hemorrhage, and lameness. Of 121 cats observed for lasting repercussions, almost 20% had ongoing lameness. Bone chips that impair healing, recurring infections, and radial nerve injury are among other outcomes linked to declawing. In over 20 countries, including the United Kingdom and Canada, declawing is either illegal or extremely restricted. I urge the AVMA to join its global colleagues with a position statement that denounces declawing as cruel and unwarranted.
In addition, I respectfully ask you to withdraw the misleading AVMA statement: "There is no scientific evidence that declawing leads to behavioral abnormalities..." This claim contradicts studies, as well as innumerable accounts from cat guardians and shelter workers, that attest to behavioral consequences associated with the removal of healthy bone, claw and tissue. National shelter surveys reveal that 70-80% of cats surrendered for offensive behavior are declawed. JAVMA's own 2001 study identified the onset of undesirable behavior in 33% of declawed cats, following onychectomy. Nearly 18% started or increased their rate of biting. Over 15% stopped using the litterbox. Veteran shelter workers are very familiar with post-declaw house soilers and biters. Shelter director William Lombardi, Gloucester County, New Jersey, says cats with claws intact are always relinquished for human-related reasons such as "moving" or "new baby." Conversely, declawed cats are dropped off with behavioral problems. In another JAVMA study (October 2001) Dr. Gary J. Patronek, VMD, PhD., maintains, "...Declawed cats were at an increased risk of relinquishment."
I call upon the American Veterinary Medical Association to firmly oppose declawing procedures. Why inflict pain upon an animal solely for human ease, particularly when so many options for training cats and curtailing scratching damage are now available?
Thank you,
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SOURCE OF INFORMATION
First Declawing Ban in U.S. - West Hollywood, CA http://cats.about.com/cs/declawing/a/nodeclaw.htm
AVMA Position Statements: Declawing Of Domestic Cats http://www.avma.org/issues/policy/animal_welfare/declawing.asp
RESOURCE SITES
The Paw Project: http://www.pawproject.org/
DeClaw Dilemma: http://www.animalsheltering.org/resource_library/magazine_articles/may_jun_2004/declaw_dilemma.pdf
Declawing Cats: Issues & Alternatives: http://amby.com/cat_site/declaw.html
The Declawing Information Site: http://community-2.webtv.net/zuzu22/STOPDECLAW.COM/
Good Cats Wear Black: http://www.goodcatswearblack.com/declawing/about_declawing.htm
Cats International / The Truth About Declawing:http://www.catsinternational.org/articles/scratching_and_declawing/declawing.html
Written by Veterinarian, Dr. Christianne Schelling:http://www.declawing.com
Hey - Those Are My TOES!http://www.straypetadvocacy.org/html/declaw_detoe.html
A Directory to Every Major Declawing Site on the Net: http://www.de-clawing.com/
Why Cats Need Claws, by Gary Loewenthal: http://www.wholecatjournal.com/articles/claws.htm
==============================================
SAMPLE LETTER
Changing some words and personalizing your comments adds impact to your letter ==============================================
Headquarters: American Veterinary Medical Association
1931 North Meacham Road, Suite 100
Schaumburg, IL 60173
ph: 847-925-8070; fax: 847-925-1329;
email: avmainfo@avma.org
Governmental Relations Division: American Veterinary Medical Association
1910 Sunderland Place,
NW Washington, DC 20036-1642
ph: 800-321-1473; fax: 202-842-4360;
email: avmagrd@avma.org
Public policy opportunities for veterinarians:
MLutschaunig@avma.org
Dear AVMA:
I commend the AVMA for updating its position statement on feline declawing to "only after attempts made to prevent the cat from using its claws destructively or when its clawing presents a zoonotic risk for its owner(s)." However, veterinarians unified under the oath "above all, do no harm," ought to represent the well-being of animals. Neither the surgical amputation of an animal's toes at the last joint (onychectomy) nor the severing of tendons to disable a cat's claws (tendonectomy) is in the best interest of a cat. "Declawing represents a clear and undisputable risk to the cat," claims Dr. Nicholas Dodman, Professor of Behavioral Pharmacology and Director of the Behavior Clinic at Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine.
"Declawing is inhumane."
In fact, a Journal of Veterinary Surgery report shows 50% of 163 cats who underwent onychectomy suffered from direct postoperative complications such as pain, hemorrhage, and lameness. Of 121 cats observed for lasting repercussions, almost 20% had ongoing lameness. Bone chips that impair healing, recurring infections, and radial nerve injury are among other outcomes linked to declawing. In over 20 countries, including the United Kingdom and Canada, declawing is either illegal or extremely restricted. I urge the AVMA to join its global colleagues with a position statement that denounces declawing as cruel and unwarranted.
In addition, I respectfully ask you to withdraw the misleading AVMA statement: "There is no scientific evidence that declawing leads to behavioral abnormalities..." This claim contradicts studies, as well as innumerable accounts from cat guardians and shelter workers, that attest to behavioral consequences associated with the removal of healthy bone, claw and tissue. National shelter surveys reveal that 70-80% of cats surrendered for offensive behavior are declawed. JAVMA's own 2001 study identified the onset of undesirable behavior in 33% of declawed cats, following onychectomy. Nearly 18% started or increased their rate of biting. Over 15% stopped using the litterbox. Veteran shelter workers are very familiar with post-declaw house soilers and biters. Shelter director William Lombardi, Gloucester County, New Jersey, says cats with claws intact are always relinquished for human-related reasons such as "moving" or "new baby." Conversely, declawed cats are dropped off with behavioral problems. In another JAVMA study (October 2001) Dr. Gary J. Patronek, VMD, PhD., maintains, "...Declawed cats were at an increased risk of relinquishment."
I call upon the American Veterinary Medical Association to firmly oppose declawing procedures. Why inflict pain upon an animal solely for human ease, particularly when so many options for training cats and curtailing scratching damage are now available?
Thank you,
******************************************************************************************** TO SUBSCRIBE TO KINSHIP CIRCLE: subscribe@kinshipcircle.org
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Hit REPLY or FORWARD to send us THE LAST KINSHIP CIRCLE ALERT YOU RECEIVED.
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For example: UNSUBSCRIBE
-----Original Message-----
From: Kinship Circle Sent: Monday, April 10, 2006 11:34 AM To: 7.
KINSHIP CIRLE Subject: LETTER/ Costco Brings Back Baby Seal Oil Capsules
*DISCLAIMER: The information in these alerts is verified with the original source. Kinship Circle does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information or for the consequences of its use. Nothing in this email is intended to encourage illegal action in whatever country you are reading it in. Kinship Circle does not engage in, nor support, any form of harassment or unlawful activity. Nothing in this alert serves to promote such conduct. *Kinship Circle cannot guarantee the validity of email addresses. During a campaign, recipients may change or disable their email addresses. ******************************************************************************************** BEAR WITNESS. SPEAK. DEMAND. ACT.
Kinship Circle - Action Campaigns I Literature I Voice For Animals
Brenda Shoss, president *
Janet Enoch, vice-president
info@kinshipcircle.org http://www.KinshipCircle.org
Kinship Circle is a 501c3 non-profit organization. We accept online donations at: http://www.kinshipcircle.org/donation/donations.html
We are grateful for your support!
