Maryland will become the second US state to prohibit pet owners from declawing cats*. Veterinarians who perform the procedure could face suspension or revocation of their license and would face a fine of up to $5,000 for a first offense and up to $10,000 for a second offense. (Source: AP)
The Maryland House voted on March 10, 2022 to ban the declawing of cats unless it is medically necessary, making it the second state in the U.S. to halt the procedure; New York passed similar legislation in 2019**.
The American Veterinary Medical Association states, “AVMA discourages declawing as an elective procedure and supports non-surgical alternatives. Declawing is a major surgery involving amputation and is not medically necessary for the cat in most cases.”
–
*”Declawing takes not just the nail, but the nail bed and part of the bone and cuts it off. What happens is that leaves a cavity there, and that makes it very painful for them to walk, to use their litter box…” -Maryland Senator and bill sponsor Cheryl C. Kagan
.
**New York Is Officially the First State to Ban Pet Owners from Declawing Their Cats
M.D.
FIREPAW, Inc. 