Essay
Prohibition of Policies Requiring Declawing & Devocalizing
Mr./Madam Chair, my name is Afton Mueller and I offer HF 758 – Prohibition of Policies Requiring Declawing or Devocalization of Tenant Pets.
Among the more strongly debated topics of the veterinary community is the declawing of household pets, namely cats.
Contrary to common understanding, declawing does not mean simply cutting an animal’s nail. Dogs’ and cats’ nails are much different from human nails, and instead of being set in a nail bed, they act more as fingers. According to Belton Veterinary Clinic, “Because the claw is permanently affixed to a cat’s knuckle, this also means removing all or part of the third bone from a cat’s paw.”
The most common reason for declawing is the destruction a cat can do to household furniture – scratching the curtains and damaging furniture are a couple of stereotypes, though another concern could be aggression. This destructive behavior may be enough for some owners to consider declawing their cat, but before one makes that decision, it’s important to take a look at some of the repercussions.
Declawing takes away one of a cat’s primary natural defenses, meaning that, should they escape the house, they’re much more vulnerable to predators and much less likely to catch prey. The standard procedure for declawing also requires a lengthy recovery period of 2-6 weeks, during which the cat will be uncomfortable or in pain even with appropriate doses of medication.
According to the Humane Society of the United States, “Declawing can cause paw pain, back pain, infection, tissue necrosis, and lameness. Removing claws changes the way a cat’s feet meet the ground and can cause pain like wearing an uncomfortable pair of shoes. Improperly removed claws can regrow, causing nerve damage and bone spurs.” The Humane Society goes on to say that because shredded newspaper usually substitutes cat litter for the first few days of recovery, paired with pain when cats try scratching in the litter box, cats may avoid the litter box altogether and will instead find other places. Lastly, the Humane Society states that “Some cats may become biters because they are in pain and no longer have their claws for defense.”
Also prohibited by HF 758 is the devocalizing of pets, an issue which primarily affects dogs – specifically those breeds who can’t have their barking trained out of them, or whose bark is deemed too loud or intimidating.
According to School for the Dogs, devocalization “involves removing a dog's vocal cords with an incision made either through the mouth or the neck.” Not only does it not silence the dog entirely – it can make their bark even more grating, or “gut-wrenching”, as some have called it, says Annie Grossman of School for the Dogs.
When devocalized, dogs lose the ability to communicate naturally and effectively. Their ability to ward off predators is hindered, as well as their ability to warn their owners of something being amiss. Furthermore, the procedure itself comes with its own risks: The American Veterinary Medical Association cites that “Bleeding, acute airway swelling, infection, coughing, gagging and aspiration pneumonia can occur after vocal cord surgery.” Regarding the scar tissue that forms following the surgery, extreme complications can lead to collapse and heat intolerance. Lastly, according to the same report, “Resumption of a near normal bark can also occur within months.”
With many pet owners being faced with the task of finding pet-friendly apartments and living spaces, HF 758 works to protect both pets and their people from policies that would leave them trapped between a rock and a hard place. Landlords who attempt to instate policies requiring the declawing or devocalization of pets may face legal repercussions for doing so.
For these reasons, I ask that the committee consider HF 758 favorably. I now yield my time for any questions.
Works Cited
Grossman, Annie. “All Dog, No Bark: The Pitfalls of Devocalization Surgery.” School for the
Dogs, 22 November 2022,
https://www.schoolforthedogs.com/blog-posts/all-dog-no-bark-the-pitfalls-of-devocalizati
on-surgery/r/recLmaVTxmG64ItjB. Accessed 18 November 2024.
“Why You Shouldn’t Declaw a Cat.” The Humane Society of the United States,
https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/why-declawing-bad-your-cat#:~:text=Declawi
ng%20can%20cause%20paw%20pain,(tissue%20death)%20and%20lameness. Accessed
17 November 2024.
“Declawing Cats: Examining the Pros, Cons, & Alternatives.” Belton Veterinary Clinic,
https://www.beltonvetclinic.com/services/cats/declawing. Accessed 17 November 2024.
“Canine Devocalization.” American Veterinary Medical Association, 7 March 2023,
https://www.avma.org/sites/default/files/2023-08/avma-lit-review-canine-devocalization-
0323.pdf. Accessed 18 November 2024.
“Devocalization Fact Sheet.” Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association,
https://www.hsvma.org/assets/pdfs/devocalization-facts.pdf. Accessed 18 November
2024.