Act quickly! Public Hearing Friday, February 29th.
By Kelli Banet, Best FriendsHow many times per day do you use your fingers (and toes)? Imagine if these body parts were amputated at the last knuckle. Would you be able to easily scratch, write, move objects, balance, and perform your daily routines?
People declaw for many reasons-to keep their animals from putting holes or scrapes into furniture, flooring, or drapery, because they fear being scratched, because they don't want their animals to "hurt" each other, and a myriad of other explanations. Some people think of declawing as the trimming of, or at worst the removal of, a cat's "fingernails." In fact, the removal of a cat's claws is indeed akin to removing a human finger at the last knuckle.
Declawing may save the furniture and some minor inconvenience. The physical and mental agony it causes the cat makes it a wholly unacceptable practice. There are many alternatives to declawing, including regular trimming, vinyl nail caps, and simply providing cats with other acceptable (to cat
and human) scratching surfaces.
How you can help:Connecticut cat lovers can voice their opinions this week. A bill to propose the ban of declawing in the state has been proposed. If the bill passes, declawing will become illegal in Connecticut (except in cases of infection, disease, injury, or abnormality). There will be a public hearing on the bill on Friday, Feb. 29th in the Legislative Office Building, Room 2E. If you are in the Hartford area, please share your thoughts on this important issue with the members of the environmental committee.
If you cannot attend the hearing, you can still be heard! Please
email your testimony to
phyllis.brett@cga.ct.gov before Wednesday, February 27th at 5 p.m. She will deliver your letters to the committee members. General messages in support of the bill can be sent to environmental committe members. Click
here for a list of committee members.
For more information:An Act Prohibiting the Declawing of CatsThe Truth About Declawing