We're very happy to report that the ban on declawing cats in the City of Los Angeles cleared its first hurdle today. The ordinance will now go before the full City Council for a vote.
Declawing isn't merely the removal of a cat's claws, as the term "declawing" implies, but is a series of extremely painful amputations that cause physical and psychological trauma. The last bone of each of the ten front toes of a cat's paw is removed, and tendons, nerves, and muscles that enable normal function and movement of the paw are severed. An analogy in human terms would be cutting off each finger at the last joint. As alternatives to declawing exist, there is no reason for anyone to declaw a cat.
Though some may argue that de-clawing keeps cats out of the shelters, the opposite is true. There is evidence that declawed cats are disproportionately abandoned at shelters, and that declawed cats may be euthanized more often because of the behavioral and physical problems that result from declawing. Cats may be more prone to bite and a cat whose paws hurt when scratching in a litter box may avoid the litter box altogether.
Declawing is illegal in many countries around the world, because it is regarded as inhumane.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
1. Please write to the council members who voted in favor of this important ordinance and thank them for their support today:
District 3 - Dennis P. Zine
Phone: 213-473-7003
Email: councilmember.zine@lacity.org
District 6 - Tony Cardenas (co-sponsor of ordinance)
Phone: 213-473-7006
Fax: 213-847-0549
Email: councilmember.cardenas@lacity.
District 12 - Greig Smith
Phone: 213-473-7012
Fax: 213-473-6925
Email: councilmember.smith@lacity.org
2. Please express your appreciation to the following sponsors of the ordinance. (Please note that Cm. Cardenas is also a co-sponsor.) It should be noted that Cm. Rosendahl spoke very passionately today in support of the declaw ban, as did Cm. Koretz, who presented the motion for the ban.
District 5 - Paul Koretz (presenter of ordinance)
Phone: 213-473-7005
Fax: 213-978-2250
Email: paul.koretz@lacity.org
District 11 - Bill Rosendahl (co-sponsor of ordinance)
Phone: 213-473-7011
Fax: 213-473-6926
Email: councilmember.rosendahl@
3. Please write to the remaining City Council members and urge them to vote in support of the cat declawing ban when it comes before the full council.
District 1 - Ed Reyes
Phone: 213-473-7001
Fax: 213-485-8907
Email: councilmember.reyes@lacity.org
District 4 - Tom LaBonge
Phone: 213-473-7004
Fax: 213-624-7810
Email: councilmember.labonge@lacity.
District 7 - Richard Alarcon
Phone: 213-473-7007
Fax: 213-847-0707
Email: (use contact form at www.lacity.org/council/cd7/
District 8 - Bernard Parks
Phone: 213-473-7008
Fax: 213-485-7683
Email: councilmember.parks@lacity.org
District 9 - Jan Perry
Phone: 213-473-7009
Fax: 213-473-5946
Email: jan.perry@lacity.org
District 10 - Herb J. Wesson, Jr.
Phone: 213-473-7010
Fax: 213-485-9829
Email: councilmember.wesson@lacity.
District 13 - Eric Garcetti
Phone: 213-473-7013
Fax: 213-613-0819
Email: councilmember.garcetti@lacity.
District 14 - Jose Huizar
Phone: 213-473-7014
Fax: 213-847-0680
Email: councilmember.huizar@lacity.
District 15 - Janice Hahn
Phone: 213-473-7015
Fax: 213-626-5431
Email: councilmember.hahn@lacity.org
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON CAT DECLAWING AND EFFORTS TO BAN THIS CRUEL PRACTICE IN OTHER CITIES (INCLUDING SANTA MONICA AND BEVERLY HILLS, PLEASE VISIT WWW.PAWPROJECT.COM.
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