BILL NUMBER: S5532

SPONSOR: GIANARIS
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in
relation to prohibiting the declawing of cats

 
PURPOSE:

This bill prohibits the performance of declawing procedures on cats.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section one amends the agriculture and markets law by adding a new
section 381 prohibiting the practice of declawing a cat.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Cats' claws play an important role in various aspects of their lives.
Cats use their claws to assist in climbing and maintaining balance, to
help them fully stretch, to relieve stress through kneading and to
              

escape danger. When a person has its animal declawed, usually in an
attempt to protect furniture, they do fundamental damage to that animal
both physically and in behavioral ways. There are harmless ways to
manage undesirable behavior through simple training and other estab-
lished methods.

Declawing, also known as onychectomy, involves the removal of all or
most of the last bone of each of the toes of the front feet, and
tendons, nerves and ligaments that allow for normal function of the paw
are severed, resulting in intense and chronic pain and other serious
medical issues. Abscesses often develop as the area comes into contact
with dirt or litter, and sometimes regrowth can occur spontaneously
resulting in sharp pain or infection. After the claws are removed, the
animal tends to shift its gait and where it places most of its weight,
causing strain on its leg joints and spine, which can lead to early
onset arthritis and prolonged back and joint pain.

Declawed cats often develop behavioral problems that lead to their being
surrendered to animal shelters where they are, for the most part, not
adoptable.

Declawing is currently banned in nearly 10 cities in California and in
many countries around the world, including Switzerland, Israel and the
U.K. This bill seeks to ban such practice in New York State.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2018: Died in Agriculture
2017: Died in Rules
2016: Died in Agriculture
2015: Died in Agriculture

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This bill shall take effect immediately.

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S5532A

SPONSOR: GIANARIS
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in
relation to prohibiting the declawing of cats

 
PURPOSE:

This bill prohibits the performance of declawing procedures on cats.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section one amends the agriculture and markets law by adding a new
section 381 prohibiting the practice of declawing a cat.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Cats' claws play an important role in various aspects of their lives.
Cats use their claws to assist in climbing and maintaining balance, to
help them fully stretch, to relieve stress through kneading and to
              

escape danger. When a person has its animal declawed, usually in an
attempt to protect furniture, they do fundamental damage to that animal
both physically and in behavioral ways. There are harmless ways to
manage undesirable behavior through simple training and other estab-
lished methods.

Declawing, also known as onychectomy, involves the removal of all or
most of the last bone of each of the toes of the front feet, and
tendons, nerves and ligaments that allow for normal function of the paw
are severed, resulting in intense and chronic pain and other serious
medical issues. Abscesses often develop as the area comes into contact
with dirt or litter, and sometimes regrowth can occur spontaneously
resulting in sharp pain or infection. After the claws are removed, the
animal tends to shift its gait and where it places most of its weight,
causing strain on its leg joints and spine, which can lead to early
onset arthritis and prolonged back and joint pain.

Declawed cats often develop behavioral problems that lead to their being
surrendered to animal shelters where they are, for the most part, not
adoptable.

Declawing is currently banned in nearly 10 cities in California and in
many countries around the world, including Switzerland, Israel and the
U.K. This bill seeks to ban such practice in New York State.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2018: Died in Agriculture
2017: Died in Rules
2016: Died in Agriculture
2015: Died in Agriculture

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This bill shall take effect immediately.