The penalty for declawing a cat in NY State is $1000, which can be paid as a part of the procedure. The procedure is illegal, but the penalty is too low to prevent such owners and shelters from declawing cats by request!

Declawing (onychectomy) is basically cutting the lower parts of a cat's paws off to ensure the nails won't grow again. It is proven that it doesn't improve scratching behavior, but the opposite. It drives the cat insane and goes again its natural behavior and instincts. They urinate and defecate outside the litter box; some exhibit aggression or refuse to bear weight on the declawed paws.

I don't think people would like to get their fingers cut at the first knuckle because they are scratching furniture as their natural behavior. People will make sure that their nails are short enough to stop causing damage. if we won't do that to ourselves, why do that to the cats?

 Sign this petition to raise awareness of this invasive, painful procedure so the penalty for declawing a cat is raised to $5000, hopefully discouraging some people from putting their beloved fur babies through it.