In West Hollywood, Cats
Are in the Clear

The city of West Hollywood has been given the go-ahead to begin enforcing a ban on the nontheraputic declawing of animals. This is after the California supreme court announced that it refused to review a decision by the California court of appeal that upheld the ban. West Hollywood's declawing ordinance is the first of its kind in California and sets a precedent for local governments across the state. "We are elated by the California supreme court's decision not to hear the appeal filed by the California Veterinary Medical Association," said West Hollywood mayor John Duran. "From the time I introduced this ordinance, I was confident that protecting animals from mutilation was the right thing to do, no matter who opposed it. Declawing amounts to amputation, and we should call it what it is. Animals deserve the right to exist the same way they were born and not be 'adapted' to meet people's needs," he continued. Declawing involves removing not only the claw but also all or part of the last bone and connecting tendons and ligaments on an animal's paw. Many consider the procedure to be unnecessarily painful and cruel, and the procedure has been banned as a form of animal cruelty in numerous countries. There will be a press conference on Monday, October 15, at West Hollywood City Hall to formerly announce the enforcement of the ban. (The Advocate)