Declawing Cats In Maryland Will Soon Be A Crime

MARYLAND — Maryland is about to become the second state in the country to make declawing cats a crime, after Gov. Larry Hogan signed House Bill 22 into law Thursday.

Feline advocates praised the state for supporting the bipartisan bill, which bans a procedure that many have often referred to as "cruel" and "crippling."

"Amputating the last joints from cats' toes is excruciating, causing a lifetime of pain and unintended consequences that often lead to cats being relinquished to shelters," Alley Cat Allies President and Founder Becky Robinson said in a statement.

Robinson, along with The Paw Project, said she and others pushed for legislation to make cat declawing illegal and also mobilized advocates in the state to ask their delegate and senator to take anti-declawing positions. Their efforts paid off.

"This invasive and painful surgery rarely has any benefit for cats, and in fact sets them up for a lifetime of suffering and discomfort," said Jennifer Conrad, DVM, founder/director of The Paw Project. "It is widely recognized that declawing cats does not reduce health risks for humans with health issues. Recently published studies have even shown that declawed cats are more likely to bite."

Under the law, a veterinary practitioner may only perform a declawing procedure if it is deemed necessary for a "therapeutic purpose" to address a physical or medical issue that compromises the cat's well-being.

A veterinarian caught violating the law could have their licenses revoked or suspended and potentially face hefty penalties.

Maryland joins New York as the only two states to ban cat declawing.

According to Robinson, Alley Cat Allies and The Paw Project are advocating for similar bills pending in Arizona, California, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Washington, D.C.

Cat declawing is already banned in several major cities in the U.S. including Los Angeles; San Francisco; Denver; Pittsburgh; Austin; and Madison, Wisconsin. Leading veterinary organizations in the U.S. also have taken positions against declawing. Outside the U.S., declawing is outlawed in over 40 countries around the world.

The law takes effect in Maryland on Oct. 1.

To read the law in its entirety, click here.