Pet Lovers

[NickNack]

Yours was such a well written and well thought out reply @dooBdoo .  I do believe many people wouldn't do this if they knew what it was.  I have done it in the past (at least 25 years ago).  I thought it was removing the nails and did no harm.  Thank goodness my pets didn't outwardly seem harmed by it.

When I found out what it actually was I was horrified that I had ever done this.  I would never consider it now.  I bought two nice large scratching posts when I got my current cat and have never seen him scratch my furniture.  He goes to his tall scratching post many times a day.  He doesn't seem that interested in his horizontal one, but that's okay.  He uses it occasionally and likes to lie on it.

[dooBdoo]

            Thank you, @NickNack.   I feel strongly about this issue, and I also do feel it's important to stress compassion, understanding, education, and better days to come.   You have a good heart, sweet lady!❤️

[beastielove]

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@dooBdoo wrote:

            This is a wonderful step forward, and I hope for a time when this barbaric, inhumane practice is abolished completely.   

            It would help, in my opinion, to stop calling this "declawing" because that makes it sound like a simple procedure just removing toenails.   

            As others have said, this is amputation of the entire first section of each of their toes, bones included, and it's a crippling (physically and emotionally) mutilation.     

            It's extremely financially lucrative for clinics, and the gradual move from independently-owned clinics to large corporations has (in my opinion) exacerbated the problem (more vested interested in money than in ethical treatment of animals).   

            Using the inaccurate term "declawing" is grossly misleading, many veterinarians don't take the time to explain the process or the dreadful outcomes, and we see well-meaning, loving and compassionate people opting for this surgery without realizing the full impact.   

            So, I think the best goal is not to scold those who have done so in the past...  the best goal is to educate and try to achieve improvements now and in the future.   I do believe we do the best we can with the tools and knowledge we have at the time...  and as we go along and gather more tools and knowledge, when we know better we'll do better (rephrasing Maya Angelou).❤️

            Please, I urge everyone to find the documentary "The Paw Project" and watch for more information.   

            (please copy and paste to see their website:  pawprojectmovie.com/  and  pawproject.org/)

            Example from their FAQs (pawproject.org/about-declawing/faqs/):

            "Declawing is a series of bone amputations.

             Declawing is more accurately described by the term de-knuckling and is not merely the removal of the claws, as the term “declawing” implies.

             In humans, fingernails grow from the skin, but in animals that hunt prey, the claws grow from the bone; therefore, the last bone is amputated so the claw cannot re-grow.

             The last bone of each of the ten front toes of a cat’s paw is amputated.

            Also, the tendons, nerves, and ligaments that enable normal function and movement of the paw are severed.

            An analogous procedure applied to humans would be cutting off each finger at the last joint."

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Thank you for this thread, @KingstonsMom.❤️

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@dooBdoo 

Thank you for posting this additional

and extremely important information

regarding the vile,cruel and disgusting

"practice" of declawing precious innocent

cats and kittens!

I joined the Paw Project a while

ago and their petition was just one

of many that I signed and sent

on to my local reps in the NYS

Senate and the Assembly as well

to the Governor's office.

My fervent wish is that the politicians

in the other 49 states follow New York,

come into the 21st century and also outlaw

delcawing ASAP!

----------------------------

All of my children have paws =^..^=

[dooBdoo]

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@beastielove wrote:

---

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@dooBdoo 

Thank you for posting this additional

and extremely important information

regarding the vile,cruel and disgusting

"practice" of declawing precious innocent

cats and kittens!

I joined the Paw Project a while

ago and their petition was just one

of many that I signed and sent

on to my local reps in the NYS

Senate and the Assembly as well

to the Governor's office.

My fervent wish is that the politicians

in the other 49 states follow New York,

come into the 21st century and also outlaw

delcawing ASAP!

----------------------------

All of my children have paws =^..^=

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           God bless you for your tender heart and for all your tireless efforts and dedication to this and other causes, @beastielove.   You and your achievements, and the many ways you help and support us here on the forums, are an inspiration.   Thank you.❤️