Thursday 10 September 2009

Declawing dogs

I do not condone any mutilation of dogs such as ear cropping, tail docking etc, let alone the declawing of them, but what inspired this blog today was a question on Yahoo Answers:
'Can you declaw a 6 month old puppy'
No more information than that, but it was obviously a serious question as the asker gave the puppy's age.
What an outcry in the answers 'why on earth would anyone do that' and 'how cruel it would be' and 'what pain it would cause the puppy' and 'the asker should give it away rather than declaw it'
A few bright sparks came on:
'I've never even heard of vets offering or doing the procedure on anything but a cat'
'No vet in their right mind will declaw a puppy......maybe a cat, but not a dog'
'No ethical vet would EVER do it because declawing a dog will literally cripple them. Dogs and cats have a slightly different structure to their feet'
Do they think declawing doesn't cripple a cat too ?

Dogs only use their feet to walk on and their claws to scratch themselves. Cats use theirs to defend themselves, to groom,to exercise, and to play, as well as to walk on and to scratch themselves.
See my previous blog:
http://kattaddorra.blogspot.com/2009/05/putting-straight-some-facts-about.html
about why cats claws are necessary and why declawing cats is not acceptable.

Why no outcry every time someone asks about having a kitten or a cat declawed ? Why is a 6 month old puppy different to a 6 month old kitten ? A kitten feels as much pain as a puppy!
Imagine the shock and horror of people seeing someone walking along with a limping declawed dog! Well the vet who did that dreadful operation would be as hated as the owner who had the dog declawed, as the poor things mutilated feet ending in stumps would be plain for all to see. Who sees the stumps of a declawed cat who is then a prisoner for life (unless they escape of course and their life is soon over, with no defence they are easily cornered and killed by wild animals)? No one sees that poor cat limping and in pain apart from the family, no one sees the bewilderment of the poor creature desperately trying to use non existent claws, no one sees the cat being punished when the behavioural problems from declawing begin, such as biting, and the using of carpets and soft furnishings because digging in a litter tray hurts so much. No one misses the cat written off as a 'bad cat' when it ends up unrehomeable in a Rescue Shelter because of those behavioural problems.No one sees another new kitten come into the home and oh so casually off it goes to have its toes removed too, because of the baby, the children, the frail person, or the very important furniture! Cats are living feeling beings, they should not be replaceable possessions!
So come on everyone who shudders with horror at the thought of declawed dogs, shudder with horror at the thought of declawed cats too and help us end this barbaric operation once and for all !!
http://www.petitionthem.com/default.asp?sect=detail&pet=4312

11 comments:

  1. THANK YOU for spreading the word on this issue! Both dog & cat are digitigrades animals, both use every digit to walk, yet again the cat is disqualified & not included that declawing their fingers is mutilation too! I've read testimonies of dogs being declawed, YES, there are vets out there that mutilate dogs too! Rabbits, raccoons, iguanas, dogs, cats, NO animal is safe from the scalpel & laser crazy criminal US vets!

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  2. It seems that no animal is safe from the "chop them off" brigade, but some are safer than others! What difference is declawing a dog to declawing a cat..why the shock horror of (most) people and, yes, complacency about declawing cats. What have these people got for brains, that's what I want to know, the sheer pigheaded arrogance of assuming that they have the right to modify a perfect animal and make it into a cripple for their own convenience leaves me scrabbling about for words to express how I feel. Well said Kattaddorra, I hope some of the pro-declaw ilk have the priviledge of reading it, it could be that if it's a good day and a brain cell is sparking that maybe they'll learn something.

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  3. It seems to be a case of sheer ignorance from the asker and a sort of programmed ignorance from some of the answerers. There is such a mass of ignorance, self interest and bias in the whole area of declawing. It is almost a symptom of what is wrong generally.

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  4. Thank you for writing this. it is wrong people hate the fact of the dog declawing comeing up but don't care that cats get declawed, as both use all their claws every day
    that's very wrong as both need their claws to walk efficiently so why choose one over another in popularity? doesn't the cat have as much right to walk with and have claws just like dogs? i believe no animal should ever have a body part amputated unless its infected from a disease that's the ONLY reason that should ever happen.

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  5. A beautifully written call for equality. There is so much inequality in the way humans hand out empathy between animal species. I think it is to do with the perceived status of the cat in our modern society. Dogs are so often associated with high status, willingness to conform to the wishes of humans, the ability to adore humans. Dogs are also still associated with a macho image, and like it or not, our world is still pretty much run by men.

    Cats are still associated with perceptions by people who do not understand nor fly the flag for them. Aloofness, unpredictability, independence - all things that don't appeal to the ego needs of the macho. When did anyone ever hear a man called "a crazy cat man" - never! I think the inequality does have it's roots in the inequality between men and women.

    We defend our pets, yet many don't defend farm animals (who go through lives of misery to feed the masses). People defend "man's best friend" yet ignore the plight of thousands of cats who daily undergo the hell of declaw surgery, then face a life of misery and pain.

    In the media, in drama, characters are often given a dog to show they are tough, reliable, no nonsense if they are male. Female characters are shwon worrying about cats and mocked openly. Frequently a female cat owning character is shown being threatened, by way of sadistic brutes threatening to hurt her cat. The derision for cats in every aspect of our world is reflected widely in how we treat each other.

    Excellent post Ruth.
    Get with it people
    Kattadora speaks the truth.
    Sign that petition!

    Jane xx

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  6. Great post Ruth, it says it all! This petition is so crucial to help stop the horrors of declawing here in the USA.

    Declawing cats or dogs is cruelty to animals, and those that would even consider having these procedures done are heartless people who really do not love animals. Let them love on their furniture and leave living vibrant pets to those who know how to treat them with the love, compassion and respect that all living creatures deserve.

    Thanks for your post.

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  7. Sadly I think that many in our society believe the old saying about a dog being man's best friend, as they seem to value dogs above cats.

    I've even seen cats referred to as vermin, yet no-one would ever say that about a dog.

    The sooner declawing gets banned, the better.

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  8. Great blog man ! I was shocked to see how many people think it's terrible to declaw dogs but accept it as everyday routine for cats.Tail docking and ear cropping are banned on dogs now yet the amputation of toe ends of cats is far more invasive a procedure.Why do vets agree to do it ? I don't understand man.
    Anyone who even thinks about mutilating a beautiful cat in this way isn't fit to be on the same planet as those of us who care.
    Ed

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  9. This has opened my eyes to the horrors of declawing.How can anyone do something so cruel?
    I surmised it was relegated to the dark ages by now like other barbaric procedures.
    Shame on the people who do this.Shame on the people who have it done.

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  10. Declawing paws is oh so low
    Who thought of this is I'd like to know
    I'd like to get a great big knife
    De-finger him and ruin his life!

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  11. No animal should be declawed EVER.It is evil and there is no excuse for doing it.People who have any animal declawed and any veterinarian who does it, deserve to burn alive in hell.

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