Pet Owners Support Declawing Cats, But Reject Debarking Dogs: Poll

LOS ANGELES — A majority of American pet owners say declawing a cat is acceptable but debarking a dog is not.

An Associated Press-Petside.com poll shows that 59 percent of American pet owners believe declawing is OK, but only 8 percent approve of debarking, the practice of having a dog's vocal cords removed.

The ASPCA opposes declawing, debarking, defanging, ear cropping, tail docking or any elective surgery done to alter breed appearance or behavior.

Forty-seven percent of those polled would support a law against debarking, but only 18 percent would favor a declawing ban.

Thirty-two percent of the cat owners polled have had their pets declawed, while only 1 percent of dog owners have had their pets debarked.

Comments

[mycatshavepaws]

12:39 PM on 04/12/2011

The only part of this article that can be considered credible is the facts stated by Dr. Louise Murray from the Bergh Memorial Hospital in New York City. Her professional opinion is in complete contrast with those interviewed who have declawed their own cats. They see nothing but the fact that their wood floors have been saved from scratching and the wallpaper has been spared. Dr. Ronald Gaskin is performing too many declaw repair surgeries. Humane shelters around the country are seeing the return of too many declawed cats who are suffering from weakness, aggressive behaviors such as biting and urinating outside the litter box. Dr Jennifer Conrad has managed to get declawing illegalized in many cities in California. 40 other countries in the world consider declawing illegal or inhumane. This Associated Press article is weak and incomplete and some of the assessments by the owners are just plain incorrect. A cat does not satisfy its need to scratch by kneading a soft object with its stumps. These kinds of uneducated comments from the public are exactly why government needs to step in and stop this barbaric, unnecessary maiming once and for all.

[FosterMom]

02:02 PM on 03/02/2011

It's unacceptable. Train your pet so neither excessive barking nor scratching will be a problem. Period.

[westnyc]

12:49 PM on 02/23/2011

I had my pound-kitten declawed at 8-weeks. He came home the next day from the vet, and acted as if nothing had happened. He ate and then he ate more, he used his box, and he terrorized the house all without claws! He's an inside cat only and getting old now! Perhaps, I have an excellent vet who obviously does a great job--as my Mr. Manolo never seemed to suffer any discomfort from the procedure long or short term!

[DebbyM]

07:41 PM on 03/02/2011

So it was more important to you that your furniture stay really nice and you were willing to cut the ends of your cats feet off? Hmmmm, well we know where your priorities are.

[rbenjamin]

09:25 AM on 02/21/2011

Declawing should really be a last resort.

It's not that hard to blunt your cat's claws with an inexpensive clipper.

A cat without claws learns to go ballistic quickly when threatened and tends to defend with it's teeth. Cat bites go septic very easily.

[Vermilionphoenix]

12:07 AM on 02/21/2011

If it means a pet will have a home in a responsible and knowledgeable pet owner's home, I'm for it. Yes it is taking the first bone off, but the alternative is euthanasia. If you say find it another home, millions of animals euthanized every year b/c they can't find a home.

For people to say it's a painful and cruel, as long as the proper anesthetics and pain management is performed while the healing process is occurring, I don't see it as cruel.

I have a dog who had to have her front limb amputated b/c she was found on the street with a shattered leg and dead tissue. I'm glad she wasn't put down, she's made a wonderful addition to our home. She runs faster than a few of my other dogs, she can jump on the couch just fine, she even chews her rawhide treats without a problem.

My other dog had an entire middle digit amputated because it looked cancerous, he's doing just fine too.

Yes declawing is not medically necessary, but it's a better alternative to euthanasia IMO.

I'm against de-fanging, ear cropping, and tail docking. If you're animal is biting and cannot be controlled despite medical/behavioral intervention then maybe it is best for that animal to be euthanized. I can't see how having flipped over ears or a tail (happy meter) can be deleterious to your lifestyle (unless the dog is banging it and splitting it open - then medically necessary).

[Vermilionphoenix]

12:42 AM on 02/21/2011

Debarking - I'm on the fence about that one. I think one should try behavioral modification approaches before going for the surgery.

[fourtruth]

04:17 PM on 02/21/2011

I had to do it once. It was not a casual choice. After trying all training, even hiring profesionals who said that because he was deaf he was not learning, it was either debark, fines from the Homeowners Assoc who could have had him removed or send him back to the pound. I even tried to place him - but no one and no "no kill shelter' would take an elderly half deaf, almost blind, kidneys failing dog. The last trainer said he would just think it was natural - just like he was going blind, as animals that have amputations do just fine (as do kitties that are declawed) and they were correct.

When I got him I worked 1 mile from home, home every noon to let them out. That job downsized and then I traveled an hour to my new job and had to leave the doggy door open for them to go outside and could not afford a dog sitter . All my recues have since passed away from old age well into thier teens, happy and loved.

These bloggers have convinced me not to rescue any more animals by pulling these last resort options from the table - even though they perform invasive unnatural surguries on their animals too - like spay, neuter, teeth pulling, amputations, etc. etc. some even cropping.

Sad, because now I am home all the time and could even care for a health issue animal and give them a last happy

[DebbyM]

07:43 PM on 03/02/2011

You can't compare a medical necessity to the barbarism of cutting off parts of animals that are inconvenient. You are just like my sister who had her big dogs tail cut off because he knocked stuff on the coffee table.

[The Mad Guesser]

07:44 PM on 02/20/2011

Just got another Email from the Argentinian geriatric blog and Mr. Hitler wrote how he was saddened at the very thought that there were people around who would de-claw animals. He asked "What kind of person would even imagine doing such a thing to a pet who looks up at you with those trusting eyes to take care of them?" He was so repulsed at the thought that there were such people around, he just cried so hard he just couldn't be consoled. He couldn't begin to fathom how anyone would cause such incredible debilitating suffering for no reason other than to be stylish. What it must feel like to suddenly wake up de-clawed! Why, it's just like "King's Row where Ronald Reagan wakes up and says "Where's the rest of me??"

[fourtruth]

04:21 PM on 02/21/2011

So, just that many more going to the gas chambers - that should please Mr. Hitler.

What do their eyes look like in those last momments?

[anastasiabeaverhousen]

05:36 PM on 02/20/2011

That's like saying you really want a baby, but all that barfingandpooping has to stop via some medical procedure.

If you have a cat, a raw silk sofa is probably not the best choice. If your dog is prone to barking, then living in an apartment with common walls is probably not going to work.

[turamali]

04:17 PM on 02/20/2011

No it is not.

[DeborahBassett]

04:05 PM on 02/20/2011

Hmmm, let's see- would you enjoy having your finger nails ripped out or perhaps your larynx and vocal chords gutted?

Please stop wasting our time on such stupid enquiries. Obviously both of these practices are both inhumane and cruel. If one can not provide nurture to an animal companion- as is- then perhaps he/she is not suited to have a pet. Period.

[The Mad Guesser]

07:58 PM on 02/20/2011

Below is California Institute of Zoology video of what a cat would say after being de-clawed if he could speak English.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K217rguXSXI

[CPNASH]

09:49 PM on 02/20/2011

I agree, totally!

[fourtruth]

01:41 PM on 02/20/2011

On boths count declawing and debarkig - - I guess that is just that many more animals that will go to euthanasia then.

I am not advocating these as a casual first line of defense, however:

Declawing - if one has a cat, or wants to adopt a cat, and then cannot get that cat to use the scratch post and if declawing is not an option or is shunned I will not adopt a cat in the first place because those little false nails some cats won't tolerate them.

Debarking - though not preferable, and with the possibillity that all else could fail, if that option is not available or shunned I will not be adopting any more rescue dogs - again just a few more sent off to euthanasia.

I keep hearing on the animal talk shows that dogs and cats that go deaf or blind or have a leg amputated are just has happy as any - or so the experts say. Why any different for declawing, debarking, neutoring, spaying, cropping, having teeth pulled, etc., etc.?

[freddychef]

01:25 PM on 02/20/2011

my sister has a cat, and it scratches everyone and everything.
she refuses to get it declawed.
she says that it would leave the cat defenseless to predators.
the cat has never been outside the house, ever.

[fourtruth]

01:43 PM on 02/20/2011

House cats should not leave the house.

Outdoor feral cats should be trapped and fixed and released.

The two should not cross.

[KateinAZ]

09:17 AM on 02/20/2011

We have an old kitty that we adopted and she had been declawed. She suffers from sore feet and a really bad back. There are consequences to cutting off a cat toes! Imagine how you would feel if you were trying to balance with the front digit missing on each of your toes.

[fourtruth]

01:47 PM on 02/20/2011

My declawed kitty had no problems at all. Any such procedure can be done incorrectly - spay,neuter, croppping, teath cleaning, amputations - and that was a concern to me, my vet told me that any declaw problems could be corrected - you should take your kitty to get another opinion and corrective surgery.

[anothervoter]

05:42 PM on 02/19/2011

No.

[KCM7]

04:25 PM on 02/19/2011

If the condition of your furniture is more important to you than the well-being of your cat.

Get a stuffed teddybear.

[onwisconsin]

12:47 PM on 02/19/2011

My parents have all of their indoor cats declawed. I think it's barbaric.

I'm allergic to cats so I'll never have to make that decision one way or another.

My dogs will NEVER be debarked. You can teach a dog not to bark if you spend enough time with him or her. Most dogs that bark incessantly are stressed (lonely, scared, etc). My pups only bark when they have a reason. If they have a reason to bark in the middle of the night or if it is something I can't see, I want to know what it is. I trust them to tell me I need to be aware. I don't punish them for barking at all. I thank them. If it is something they shouldn't have barked about, I show them what it was that frightened them so they'll know not to be afraid. That may take more than one attempt. But having a dog is a constant teaching process, not unlike having a child. It's the people who don't want to engage in the process that resort to extremes like debarking a dog. What horrible human companions they must be.

[Dave Harrison]

05:54 PM on 02/19/2011

I am with you on this. I have a Pit mix and his voice goes right thru me. As irritating as it is I would never have him debarked, tail or ears cut. Although he is none to bright I wouldn't alter him except neutering. BTW he is a rescue as my last 4 dogs were.
F&F!

[sabelmouse]

08:41 AM on 02/20/2011

it's the neighbours of those people who suffer the most [ dogs barking ] .

[European1919]

08:46 AM on 02/20/2011

Mutilating pets is NOT ok. Not even for cats.

[onwisconsin]

02:05 PM on 02/20/2011

But just as I said above, it's a manner of training. If my dog needs to wake me up because something is important, he barks. He doesn't bark once I'm up and beside him. That's training and him knowing that I am the alpha. My dogs never sleep outside. They don't get ignored if they bark. The know they are safe. If something is happening and I need to alerted, I am up straightaway to investigate, as is my husband. This training begins when they are puppies. I would say that most people with nuisance barking issues with their dogs either a) have not spent enough time with appropriate training or b) have dogs with traumatic incidents in their pasts (including many rescue dogs) that causes them to be hyper-vigilant. Some of these poor dogs have suffered so much they may never have a restful night.