West Virginia Residents: Help Stop Declawing

This action is ONLY for residents of West Virginia. 

Update: March 14, 2019

Thank you to all our supporters who took action on this bill. Unfortunately, because HB 2119 failed to get a hearing in the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, it did not meet the legislature’s crossover deadline and has died. We hope this declawing prohibition will move forward in West Virginia next legislative session.

Original Message

The West Virginia House of Delegates Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee is considering a bill to ban the declawing of cats. Please speak out and ask the committee to hold a hearing on House Bill 2119, which would prohibit declaw surgery throughout the state.

Declaw surgery is far from a nail trim; it is the surgical amputation of the last joints of a cat’s toes. Declawing is traumatic to cats and can cause permanent damage and chronic pain. Without their claws, cats can have trouble walking and balancing. Discomfort in their feet may cause them to avoid using the litter box. Also, because they may feel unsafe without their natural protection, declawed cats are more likely to bite. These are some of the most common reasons owners relinquish their cats to animal shelters, where most cats are killed.

Declawing is often done to address unwanted scratching behavior. However, many humane and affordable alternatives are widely available such as scratching posts, vinyl nail covers, and deterrent spray.

Ask your legislators to hold a hearing on HB 2119 and ban declawing in West Virginia.