Declawing

Many people, including animal lovers, do not realize that declawing is a surgical procedure in which the animal's toes are amputated at the last joint. A portion of the bone, not just the nail, is removed. Declawing may result in permanent lameness, arthritis, and other long-term complications. The practice, although common in the United States, is rarely performed in the rest of the civilized world. It is actually illegal in many countries. Great Britian's Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons goes so far as to declare declawing "unnecessary mutilation".

Domestic cats are declawed by pet owners who give the reason that they wish to protect their household furniture. They are seldom fully informed of the potential consequences of declawing by their veterinarians. Behavior problems in declawed house cats, such as biting and litter box avoidance, are not uncommon. The unfortunate feline victims are frequently relinquished to the "pound". With poor prospects of finding understanding new owners, these animals are usually destroyed.

In a misguided attempt to keep big cats, such as lions and tigers, as pets, their owners have the animals declawed as cubs believing that they will be protected against injury. Later, when the cats prove to be poor pets, weighing hundreds of pounds and eating 20 pounds of meat per day, they are often neglected, confiscated by animal regulatory officials, or abandoned. They often end up in animal sanctuaries where they rely on private donations for their care.

The effects of declawing are particulary debilitating for big cats.

Dr. Jenny Conrad, in her former role as head veterinarian at a wildlife sanctuary, founded The Paw Project, which rehabilitates big cats, such as lions, tigers, cougars, and jaguars that have been maimed by declawing.

Since April 2000, veterinarians working with The Paw Project have performed reparative surgery on these big cats that have been maimed by declawing. The results have been dramatic. Enjoying relief for the first time after years of suffering, cats that could only hobble for a few agonizing steps before surgery are now able to leap, run and play much more--as nature intended.

Forever Wild Exotic Animal Sanctuary supports the work of The Paw Project. Several of our rescued animals have had their paws repaired by The Paw Project.