UPDATE:
Great news! At its meeting, the Senate Committee recommended passage of the declaw ban, S180. In other words: it’s moving forward! The Rhode Island House of Representatives is also considering a companion declaw ban bill, HB 5668.
THANK YOU to all who reached out to their senators in support of the declaw ban. Let’s go Rhode Island—Keep Cats’ Claws On Their Paws!
ORIGINAL MESSAGE:
Rhode Island could become the next state to ban the harmful and traumatic practice of cat declawing. If you live in Rhode Island, you can make it happen by urging your state senator to pass Senate Bill 180, a bill to prohibit declawing statewide.
Take action: Tell Rhode Island state senators to support S180.
Tomorrow, the declaw ban will be considered in the Rhode Island Senate Environment and Agriculture Committee. Our goal is for the ban to pass in committee and move through the process to become official law.
Alley Cat Allies sent testimony in support of S180, and we are taking action to propel declaw ban legislation in states across the country this year. Since our founding, we have stood firmly against cat declawing as the cruel, unnecessary, and harmful procedure it is.
Declawing Cats is Cruel and Can Cause Lifelong Harm
Declawing is not a nail trim—it is far more severe. It is a surgical amputation of the last joints of a cat’s toes that is virtually always nontherapeutic, meaning it has no medical benefit to the cat.
Without their claws, cats can’t perform many of their instinctive behaviors, can feel unsafe without their natural protection, and can experience difficulty with balance and walking.
The pain and discomfort caused by declaw surgery can lead to permanent physical and mental harm for cats.
Our goal is to ban declawing once and for all in every community worldwide, and Keep Cats’ Claws On Their Paws. We’re rallying compassionate advocates to stand with us, and for the cats.
Again, if you live in Rhode Island, you can make your voice heard with a few clicks. Urge your legislators to vote YES on S180 to ban cat declawing. Then, SHARE this action with friends and family in the state!
Learn more about the harmful impact of cat declawing, and why we are fighting to end it.