Sen. Montigny Cat Declawing Bill Advances on Beacon Hill

Legislation filed by Senator Mark Montigny (D-New Bedford) to ban the practice of feline declawing in Massachusetts received a favorable committee report this week, and will now head to the full Massachusetts Senate for consideration.

Montigny filed "An Act Prohibiting Inhumane Feline Declawing" earlier this year, according to his office, which said Thursday that many animal advocacy organizations support the bill, including the Paw Project, MSPCA, and the Animal Rescue League of Boston.

The bill would prohibit declawing and tendonectomy of any cat unless the procedure is deemed medically necessary.

"Declawing a cat involves amputating the last bone of each toe, which if performed on a human if would be like cutting off each finger at the last knuckle," said Montigny's office in a press release.

“Many people who have declawed their cat simply don’t realize the pain it causes. Declawing is a horrific procedure that inflicts harm and often leads to other behavioral issues. This bill will help educate the public and ban this cruel practice. No one who values furniture or material goods over the health and wellbeing of an animal should be a pet owner, and I will continue to advocate for these innocent creatures,” Montigny further said.

The bill will now advance to the Senate for further consideration.