Politico: Cat declawing ban gains new momentum after short pause

May 10, 2019

Originally published in Politico

After being stuck in the Assembly’s Agriculture Committee for four years, the bill was advanced for the first time last week.

And it gained a prominent backer in the Senate on Monday, when the version in that house was introduced by Deputy Leader Mike Gianaris (D-Queens).

Declawing “would be the equivalent of a human having the digit cut off at the first knuckle,” Gianaris said. “When a claw is removed, it’s not like cutting one’s nails, it’s more akin to actually taking a piece of the digit off. And it’s a very brutal thing to do to a cat.”

Gianaris noted that the Senate created the Domestic Animal Welfare Committee at the beginning of the year, “which shows the priority that [his] conference is putting on these issues.” He’s also teaming up with Rosenthal on a bill aiming to end puppy mills and drive up adoption by prohibiting pet stores from selling dogs, cats, or rabbits — the two recently joined with actress Edie Falco to promote that legislation.

(Both of the sponsors have two cats of their own. Rosenthal lives with Vida, named after Vidal Sassoon “because she likes to groom my hair,” and Kitty. Gianaris owns Zira, as in the "Planet of the Apes'" Dr. Zira, and Alley.)