San Francisco cat de-claw ban moves to full Board of Supervisors vote

October 26, 6:13 PMSF Cat Rescue ExaminerBarbara Kohn

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The San Francisco Board of Supervisors City Operations and Neighborhood Services Committee today approved the proposed legislation introduced by Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi banning cat de-clawing in San Francisco. The legislation will go before the full Board of Supervisors next Tuesday, Nov. 3 for a vote.

If passed, San Francisco will join West Hollywood and Norfolk, Va., in having bans that prohibit the de-clawing of cats unless medically necessary for the cat’s welfare. Santa Monica, Los Angeles and Berkeley are considering similar legislation.

The ban needs to be approved before the year is up. On January 1, 2010, SB law SB 762 goes into effect restricting any California city or county from passing laws that prohibit licensed healthcare professionals from practicing their licensed specialty. The law covers veterinarians and cat de-clawing surgery.

Supporters Call Ban A Progressive Law in the Interest of a Cat’s Welfare

Those against cat de-clawing assert that it is a very painful surgery in which you take off the whole last bone of each of the front toes of a cat or in essence de-knuckle them. They point out that a cat’s claws are an integral part of a cat's foot and needed for balance, exercise and stretching.

Among those speaking on behalf of the ban at today’s meeting were Sally Stephens, chairman, San Francisco Commission of Animal Control and Welfare, and Rebecca Katz, director of San Francisco Animal Care and Control (ACC). According to Katz, ACC sees cats in the shelter that have psychological and physical issues because of their de-clawing. She said these cats are arthritic, have trouble jumping and have problems with their posture.

Pam Runquist, director of veterinary advocacy of the Humane Society Veterinary Medication Association (HSVMA), of which there are 200 California members, also spoke out in support of the ban. Runquist said that there is legal precedent in California for a measure against this type of surgery, citing an existing state law banning tail docking of horses and a new law just passed and that goes into effect January 1 banning tail docking of cows.

Opposing the Ban 

Opposing the ban was Dr. Chris Cowling, speaking on behalf of the California Veterinary Medical Association, which represents some 6000 veterinarians around the state. Cowling expressed the CVMA position that the decision to de-claw a cat should be made by owners in consultation with their veterinarians.