New Jersey took a step toward becoming the first state in the nation to ban declawing cats.
The Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee advanced a bill Monday that would add declawing to the list of criminal "animal cruelty" offenses. There would be exceptions for medical purposes in the legislation proposed by Burlington County Democratic Assemblyman Troy Singleton.
"Declawing is a barbaric practice that more often than not is done for the sake of convenience rather than necessity," said Singleton in a news release. "Many countries worldwide acknowledge the inhumane nature of declawing, which causes extreme pain to cats. It's time for New Jersey to join them."
Cats are typically declawed to prevent them from damaging furniture and household items. The Humane Society of the United States is against declawing -- calling the act inhumane. They suggest keeping feline claws trimmed and providing scratching posts to minimize damage to household items.
Veterinarians and cat owners could face fines of up to $1,000 and six months in jail under Bill A-3899, which bans "onychectomy - or declawing - and flexor tendonectomy procedures," said Assembly Democrats. Violators could also face civil penalties up to $2,000.
No word yet on when the full assembly would vote on the bill, which NJ.com reports would be the first statewide ban in the United States. [[211053881, C]]
