July 22, 2019 – Today, cats of New York and the people who love them can rejoice because the bill to ban cruel cat declawing in New York State IS NOW LAW!
A huge thank you to Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal, her staff, including Lauren Schuster, Nick Guile, and Gus Ipsen (now a law student)…and to Senator Mike Gianaris for introducing the bills…and to Governor Andrew Cuomo for signing them into law, effective immediately. Assemblymember Rosenthal’s advocacy over the past few years has made New York a leader in the humane treatment of animals.
“The Paw Project is very proud to have worked closely with Assemblymember Rosenthal and her staff for the past five years to pass this important animal protection legislation. We are thrilled that New York has led the way in humane treatment of cats. New York is now the first state to enact a prohibition of declawing and will be a model for other states, including Massachusetts and New Jersey, which are currently considering similar cat protection legislation. Congratulations to Governor Cuomo, Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal, and State Senator Michael Gianaris for making New York a truly cat-friendly, claw-friendly state,” said Dr. Jennifer Conrad, DVM, Founder of the Paw Project.
“Today New York becomes the first state in the nation to ban the barbaric practice of cat declawing,” said Assemblymember Rosenthal. “It’s a cat-tastic day for the felines of New York and the many people who love them. Cat declawing is a cruelty, and given the availability of low-cost and pain-free alternatives, it’s totally unnecessary, most often performed to protect people’s furniture from cats’ scratching.”
In his signing statement, Governor Cuomo wrote, “Declawing is a cruel and painful procedure that can create physical and behavioral problems for helpless animals, and today it stops. By banning this archaic practice, we will ensure that animals are no longer subjected to these inhumane and unnecessary procedures.”
The Paw Project is grateful to the coalition of dedicated individuals, who worked so hard and so long to make this dream a reality, from many organizations, including HSUS-New York, Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association, New York State Humane Alliance, Alley Cat Allies, The Patricia H. Ladew Foundation, The Animals’ Battalion, and North Shore Animal League.