,,iv  #aai? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,h4 ,,res4 #ihe  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(     
,,repres5tatives  ,janu>y #i1 #bjbf ,mr4
 ,nadl] 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,c>son1 ,mr4   
,cleav]1 ,ms4 ,dean ( ,p5nsylvania1 ,ms4
 ,dext]1 ,ms4 ,jayapal1 ,mr4 ,johnson ( 
,georgia1 ,mr4 ,kri%namoor?i1 ,mr4      
,lieu1 ,ms4 ,l(gr51 ,ms4 ,norton1 ,mr4  
,quigley1 ,ms4 ,rivas1 ,ms4 ,simon1 ,mr4
 ,soto1 ,ms4 ,titus1 ,ms4 ,tlaib1 & ,mr4
 ,v9dman7 submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2 
:i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on         
,agriculture  ,,resolution  ,express+   
opposition to ! use ( ony*ectomy1 also  
kn[n z declaw+1 = elective surg]y 9     
cats4  ,:]eas ov] #dj1jjj1jjj h\seholds 
9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates h a cat or cats1 &    
rese>* %[s t cats c improve psy*ological
 heal?1 (f] emotional support1 & enhance
 quality ( life2 ,:]eas scrat*+ is a    
normal1 in/9ctive cat behavior done by  
cats to m>k objects ) visual cues & _!  
sc5t1 ex]cise muscles1 relieve /ress1   
express emotions1 & manage claw heal?2  
,:]eas ony*ectomy1 also kn[n z declaw+1 

is a s]i\s m$ical proc$ure 9 :i* a cat's
 ?ird phalanges & claws are surgically  
remov$2 ,:]eas t5donectomy1 (t5 consid]$
 an alt]native to ony*ectomy1 cuts !    
t5dons on ea* toe to prev5t grasp+      
motions1 disabl+ normal function ( _!   
claws2 ,:]eas ^! are pa9ful proc$ures1  
prev5t+ a cat f be+ able to use _! claws
 & leav+ !m unable to prop]ly scrat*1   
affect+ _! balance1 & r5d]+ !m unable to
 effectively def5d !mselves or fully    
express normal behaviors2 ,:]eas !re is 
ample evid5ce t l9ks ony*ectomy &       
t5donectomy to life-long pa9 & adv]se & 
long-la/+ physical & behavioral effects 
on cats & t complications f ^! surg]ies 
c include n]ve damage1 lam5ess1 *ronic  
pa91 litt] box av]sion1 & p]man5t       
disability2 ,:]eas1 = purposes ( ?is    
resolution1 ! t]m 8declaw+0 includes    
ony*ectomy & any surgical1 *emical1 or  
me*anical proc$ure t removes1 sev]s1    
alt]s1 or o!rwise disables a cat's claws
 or ! normal function ( ! claw1 includ+ 
?r\gh modification ( t5dons1 ligam5ts1  

or o!r anatomical /ructures1 b n includ+
 trimm+ ! nonviable tips ( ! claws or   
plac+ tempor>y nail caps2 ,:]eas        
t5donectomy is "o example ( a proc$ure  
us$ to disable a cat's claws by alt]+   
paw function1 (t5 describ$ z an         
alt]native to ony*ectomy2 ,:]eas declaw+
 z an elective surg]y unnecess>ily      
increases public heal? & safety risks z 
declaw$ cats become m prone to bit+ z a 
=m ( def5se1 lead+ to increas$ *ance (  
infection = humans2 ,:]eas !re is no    
evid5ce t declaw+ r$uces ! numb] ( cats 
surr5d]$ to %elt]s2 ,:]eas ! behavioral 
implications1 su* z problems ) litt]box 
use & bit+1 are common reasons cats are 
surr5d]$2 ,:]eas !re are _m humane      
alt]natives to address & coexi/ )       
scrat*+ behaviors t involve no physical 
h>m to ! cat2 ,:]eas !re is widespread  
support = outlaw+ ?is practice1 includ+ 
f ! ,c5t]s = ,disease ,control &        
,prev5tion1 ! ,int]national ,society (  
,fel9e ,m$ic9e1 & ! ,am]ican            
,association ( ,fel9e ,practition]s2    

,:]eas ! ,c5t]s = ,disease ,control1 ,,u
 ,public ,heal?1 ,national ,in/itutes ( 
,heal?1 & ,infecti\s ,diseases ,society 
( ,am]ica h a jo9t position /atem5t av[+
 declaw+ z unnecess>y to protect human  
heal?2 ,:]eas _m c\ntries h bann$       
elective ony*ectomies by law1 & 9 o!rs !
 practice is consid]$ une?ical &        
prohibit$ "u vet]9>y pr(essional /&>ds1 
includ+ ,au/ralia1 ,au/ria1 ,belgium1   
,bosnia & ,h]zegov9a1 ,brazil1 ,bulg>ia1
 ,cyprus1 ,cze* ,republic1 ,d5m>k1      
,engl&1 ,f9l&1 ,france1 ,g]many1        
,greece1 ,irel&1 ,israel1 ,italy1       
,latvia1 ,li?uania1 ,luxemb\rg1         
,mac$onia1 ,malta1 ,mont5egro1 ,ne!rl&s1
 ,new ,zeal&1 ,nor!rn ,irel&1 ,norway1  
,portugal1 ,romania1 ,scotl&1 ,s]bia1   
,slov5ia1 ,spa91 ,sw$51 ,switz]l&1      
,turkey1 ,ukra9e1 & ,wales2 ,:]eas1 9   
,canada1 declaw+ is outlaw$ 9 #i ( ! #aj
 prov9ces2 ,:]eas multiple ,/ates1      
includ+ ,new ,york1 ,m>yl&1 ,virg9ia1   
,massa*usetts1 ,rhode ,isl&1 &          
,cali=nia1 h bann$ ony*ectomies &       

t5donectomies z elective proc$ures2     
,:]eas sev]al o!r ,/ates h introduc$    
legislation b h yet to codify ! bans    
into law2 ,:]eas a numb] (              
municipalities h implem5t$ bans or pass$
 resolutions oppos+ ?is practice1       
includ+ ,malibu1 ,m>9 ,c\nty1 & ,ojai1  
,cali=nia2 ,d5v]1 ,colorado2 ,wa%+ton1  
,di/rict ( ,columbia2 ,volusia ,c\nty1  
,florida2 ,buffalo ,grove1 ,d[n]s       
,grove1 & ,evan/on1 ,ill9ois2 ! ,city ( 
,/4 ,l\is & ,/4 ,l\is ,c\nty1 ,miss\ri2 
,all5t[n1 ,ea/on1 ,=ks ,t[n%ip1 &       
,pittsburgh1 ,p5nsylvania2 ,au/91       
,texas2 ,tacoma1 ,wa%+ton2 & ,madison1  
,wiscons92 ,:]eas x is also outlaw$ 9 #h
 ,cali=nia cities1 includ+ ,b]keley1    
,bev]ly ,hills1 ,burbank1 ,culv] ,city1 
,los ,angeles1 ,san ,francisco1 ,santa  
,monica1 & ,we/ ,hollywood2 ,:]eas      
recogniz+ t ! elective practice (       
ony*ectomy or t5donectomy is inhumane1 &
 su* recognition is an important /ep    
=w>d 9 prioritiz+ animal welf>e 9 !     
,unit$ ,/ates3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x ,t !    

,h\se ( ,repres5tatives--  7#a7 opposes 
declaw+1 z def9$ 9 ?is resolution1 :5   
p]=m$ = cosmetic or ae/hetic purposes1  
or = reasons ( conv5i5ce 9 keep+ or h&l+
 a cat1 & enc\rages vet]9>y pr(essionals
 to disc\rage ! practice ) vigor2  7#b7 
recognizes t ^! practices %\ld only be  
p]=m$ :5 m$ically necess>y = a !rapeutic
 purpose = ! physical heal? ( ! cat1    
mean+ a m$ically necess>y proc$ure to   
address an exi/+ or recurr+ anatomical  
pa?ology issue su* z infection1 disease1
 injury1 or abnormal condition 9 !      
claws1 nail b$1 or toe bone t jeop>dizes
 ! cat's heal?1 & n = ! purpose (       
conv5i5ce1 prop]ty protection1 or       
behavioral modification2  7#c7 urges    
,/ate legislatures t h n yet bann$      
ony*ectomy 7declaw+7 & t5donectomy =    
elective reasons to consid] ?is on !    
gr\nds ( animal welf>e & public heal?2 &
  7#d7 affirms ! commitm5t ( ! ,unit$   
,/ates to advanc+ ! cause ( animal      
protection & animal welf>e4