В Орландо могут запретить elective-ампутацию когтей у кошек

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – Seminole County could become the second county in Florida to prohibit elective cat declawing under a proposed ordinance being considered by county officials. The proposed rule would make it illegal to declaw a cat for nonmedical reasons. Veterinarians would still be permitted to perform the procedure when it is medically necessary to treat an injury or medical condition. The county’s Animal Control Board recently discussed the proposal. The proposal will come before the Board of County Commissioners during a work session on Oct. 13. Jenna Delgado, who is with T.E.A.R.S. of Seminole County, a rescue organization that works with Seminole County Animal Services, said declawed cats can be more difficult to place in homes. “We are responsible for about 25% of the cat adoptions that comes out of Seminole County Animal Services. We have seen thousands of cats,” Delgado said. Delgado said people often misunderstand what the procedure involves. “A lot of people think it’s like removing a fingernail but in reality it’s almost like removing a knuckle,” she said, adding that a cat’s claws can serve as a form of protection. Declawing, also known as onychectomy, involves surgically removing the end portions of a cat’s toes, including the bones from which the claws grow. Delgado said the procedure can also affect a cat’s ability to balance and move. “They use their claws to help them balance when they jump, run, they often can have long term pain and they have to relearn how to walk,” she said. The proposed ordinance would not prohibit medically necessary procedures. Delgado said some cats may require a claw or digit to be removed because of a serious injury. “Sometimes there are injuries to a claw or a digit on a cat where it’s so severely damaged that the claw does need to be removed,” she said. The Animal Control Board has backed the proposed changes. If approved by the County Commission, Seminole County would become only the second county in Florida, after Volusia County, to prohibit elective cat declawing. News 6 will continue to follow the proposal and provide updates as it moves through the county.