AmeriVet Honors Claws In Its Logo But Allows Declawing.
The Issue
AmeriVet Veterinary Partners is one of America’s major veterinary groups. https://amerivet.com
Its corporate logo prominently features claw marks. Yet AmeriVet allows declawing, and many of its clinics perform this inhumane and unnecessary amputation procedure.
AmeriVet. Why celebrate claws in your branding while allowing clinics in your network to barbarically amputate them?
Claws are not a marketing asset. They are part of a cat’s body, essential to natural behaviors and daily life. AmeriVet must protect cats’ health and well-being from this unnecessary and brutal harm and cruelty.
Declawing Is an Amputation Procedure
Declawing surgically removes the last bone of each toe in a cat's paw. It causes chronic pain, nerve damage, walking difficulties, arthritis and behavioral problems. Cats need their claws for stretching, climbing, balance, defense and other aspects of their well-being.
Scratching is normal feline behavior. Humane alternatives always exist, including scratching posts and pads, regular nail trims, deterrent tape and other non-surgical approaches.
AmeriVet Says It Was “Founded by Veterinarians.” Who Were They?
AmeriVet’s current About Us and Partner With Us pages prominently state “BUILT BY VETERINARIANS” and says the company was “founded by veterinarians.” https://amerivet.com/about-us
We could not find these phrases in the April 15, 2026, archived website capture on Wayback.
Earlier AmeriVet business-development materials described the company as “founded by key members of Imperial Capital and VetStrategy,” with Imperial Capital providing “Direction & Funding.”
Imperial Capital says it launched AmeriVet in 2017, built it “from the ground up” as a private-equity platform investment, established its headquarters, acquired its first clinic and installed its initial CEO and executive team. AmeriVet also identified businessman Orin Litman as a co-founder in a 2025 announcement.
City the Kitty asked AmeriVet to identify the veterinarians behind its current founding claim and explain their roles. AmeriVet did not respond. VetStrategy directed us back to AmeriVet.
These records do not prove veterinarians were uninvolved. But they raise legitimate questions.
If AmeriVet was founded by veterinarians, who are they, what roles did they play, and how does the company reconcile that claim with its earlier corporate materials?
Medical Autonomy—or Conflicting Ethical Standards?
AmeriVet promotes “excellence,” “high-quality care” and “elevating medicine.” Its careers page promises “Medical Autonomy” and the freedom to “practice medicine your way.” But clinical autonomy does not prevent corporate leadership from establishing animal-welfare standards across its network.
AmeriVet’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Whitney Miller, served as Petco’s chief veterinarian from 2016 to 2025. CEO Jason Heffelfinger also held senior Petco leadership roles, including chief services officer. Petco did not allow declawing during their tenure.
Other major veterinary networks, including VCA, National Veterinary Associates (NVA), PetVet Care Centers, CareVet, and many more have also prohibited elective declawing while maintaining veterinary medical autonomy.
If other major veterinary networks can protect cats while respecting veterinary judgment, why won’t AmeriVet?
An “Ethical Duty” to Practice Owners—What About Animals?
AmeriVet describes protecting and guiding practice owners through a sale as an “ethical duty.” What responsibility does it accept for the welfare of animals treated at its hospitals?
In October 2026, City the Kitty contacted AmeriVet, Imperial Capital, Oaktree Capital and VetStrategy with questions about the company’s founding claims, website wording and declawing. VetStrategy directed us to AmeriVet. We received no reply from AmeriVet or its investment backers.
AmeriVet’s own corporate culture blog asks practices: “Do you operate with transparency and trust?”
Transparency means answering reasonable questions about corporate claims and animal-welfare standards, not leaving the public to guess.
Protect the Claws You Market
With a large network of veterinary hospitals comes a responsibility to establish consistent animal-welfare standards.
We call on AmeriVet’s leadership to adopt and enforce a companywide ban on declawing, while clearly allowing medically necessary amputations to treat serious injury or disease in a cat.
AmeriVet has the power to lead. It can align its policies with its promises of high-quality care and its responsibility to the animals entrusted to its hospitals.
Your logo features claws. Now protect them.
Please sign this petition and demand that AmeriVet ban elective declawing.
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The Issue
AmeriVet Veterinary Partners is one of America’s major veterinary groups. https://amerivet.com
Its corporate logo prominently features claw marks. Yet AmeriVet allows declawing, and many of its clinics perform this inhumane and unnecessary amputation procedure.
AmeriVet. Why celebrate claws in your branding while allowing clinics in your network to barbarically amputate them?
Claws are not a marketing asset. They are part of a cat’s body, essential to natural behaviors and daily life. AmeriVet must protect cats’ health and well-being from this unnecessary and brutal harm and cruelty.
Declawing Is an Amputation Procedure
Declawing surgically removes the last bone of each toe in a cat's paw. It causes chronic pain, nerve damage, walking difficulties, arthritis and behavioral problems. Cats need their claws for stretching, climbing, balance, defense and other aspects of their well-being.
Scratching is normal feline behavior. Humane alternatives always exist, including scratching posts and pads, regular nail trims, deterrent tape and other non-surgical approaches.
AmeriVet Says It Was “Founded by Veterinarians.” Who Were They?
AmeriVet’s current About Us and Partner With Us pages prominently state “BUILT BY VETERINARIANS” and says the company was “founded by veterinarians.” https://amerivet.com/about-us
We could not find these phrases in the April 15, 2026, archived website capture on Wayback.
Earlier AmeriVet business-development materials described the company as “founded by key members of Imperial Capital and VetStrategy,” with Imperial Capital providing “Direction & Funding.”
Imperial Capital says it launched AmeriVet in 2017, built it “from the ground up” as a private-equity platform investment, established its headquarters, acquired its first clinic and installed its initial CEO and executive team. AmeriVet also identified businessman Orin Litman as a co-founder in a 2025 announcement.
City the Kitty asked AmeriVet to identify the veterinarians behind its current founding claim and explain their roles. AmeriVet did not respond. VetStrategy directed us back to AmeriVet.
These records do not prove veterinarians were uninvolved. But they raise legitimate questions.
If AmeriVet was founded by veterinarians, who are they, what roles did they play, and how does the company reconcile that claim with its earlier corporate materials?
Medical Autonomy—or Conflicting Ethical Standards?
AmeriVet promotes “excellence,” “high-quality care” and “elevating medicine.” Its careers page promises “Medical Autonomy” and the freedom to “practice medicine your way.” But clinical autonomy does not prevent corporate leadership from establishing animal-welfare standards across its network.
AmeriVet’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Whitney Miller, served as Petco’s chief veterinarian from 2016 to 2025. CEO Jason Heffelfinger also held senior Petco leadership roles, including chief services officer. Petco did not allow declawing during their tenure.
Other major veterinary networks, including VCA, National Veterinary Associates (NVA), PetVet Care Centers, CareVet, and many more have also prohibited elective declawing while maintaining veterinary medical autonomy.
If other major veterinary networks can protect cats while respecting veterinary judgment, why won’t AmeriVet?
An “Ethical Duty” to Practice Owners—What About Animals?
AmeriVet describes protecting and guiding practice owners through a sale as an “ethical duty.” What responsibility does it accept for the welfare of animals treated at its hospitals?
In October 2026, City the Kitty contacted AmeriVet, Imperial Capital, Oaktree Capital and VetStrategy with questions about the company’s founding claims, website wording and declawing. VetStrategy directed us to AmeriVet. We received no reply from AmeriVet or its investment backers.
AmeriVet’s own corporate culture blog asks practices: “Do you operate with transparency and trust?”
Transparency means answering reasonable questions about corporate claims and animal-welfare standards, not leaving the public to guess.
Protect the Claws You Market
With a large network of veterinary hospitals comes a responsibility to establish consistent animal-welfare standards.
We call on AmeriVet’s leadership to adopt and enforce a companywide ban on declawing, while clearly allowing medically necessary amputations to treat serious injury or disease in a cat.
AmeriVet has the power to lead. It can align its policies with its promises of high-quality care and its responsibility to the animals entrusted to its hospitals.
Your logo features claws. Now protect them.
Please sign this petition and demand that AmeriVet ban elective declawing.
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Petition created on October 15, 2026