Gov. Maura Healey, Governor of the US state of Massachusetts, has signed a law that, from the 8th of April 2025, will ban cat declawing across the state — making it the third state to do so after New York and Maryland.
Declawing (also known as onychectomy) is an inhumane practice that involves the amputation of the last bone of each toe, equivalent to removing a human’s fingers at the last knuckle. Elected cat declawing (as opposed to declawing required for medical reasons), in addition to being an unnecessary painful amputation that violates the body autonomy of cats, may cause the cats to become more aggressive and more likely to bite, as they have lost some of their more effective “warnings” when they feel intimidated or scared.
As in similar bans, the Massachusetts law allows rare exceptions when medically necessary, such as in cases of nail bed cancer. Those who break the law will face fines and possible punishment from state veterinary boards. The campaign to get this law passed started in 2019 when it received key backing from Senator Mark Montigny and several animal rights groups. Local vets and the Animal Rescue League of Boston supported the bill during its four-year journey.
Ally Blanck, Director of Advocacy at the Animal Rescue League of Boston, said to WROR News. “The Governor’s signing into law a ban on feline declawing marks yet another achievement for animal protection this session. Declawing of cats does not improve the human-animal bond and often results in serious medical and behavioural problems. Banning this cruel practice, which is in essence amputation, will prevent cats in Massachusetts from needless pain and suffering.”
Several major US cities have put bans in place, including Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and Madison. Other countries and regions have also done so. The Quebec government in Canada enacted a Regulation that banned non-essential cosmetic procedures on companion animals from 2024. The Regulation Respecting the Welfare and Safety of Domestic Animals and Equines was published on the 10th of August 2022 and is a consequence of the Animal Welfare and Safety Act 2021. It banned mutilations of companion animals, including cat declawing, tail docking, ear cropping, and debarking. The animals protected included dogs, cats, rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs, and companion pigs.
