Declawing is the removal of the front knuckles of the toes—it’s not just the removal of the nails but also the bones! It is an amputation comparable to the removal of the fingers of the human hand at the last knuckle. It’s a painful procedure and vets have described the cats as waking up screaming. Laser declawing is “a bit” less painful.

Emotionally, declawing makes a cat feel defenseless, and it may resort to biting. One physical effect of declawing is a gradual weakening of the muscles of the legs, shoulders and back; balance is impaired. Most vets now refuse this horrible mutilation of cats, but some still do the procedure. One vet said, “Unless you have actually watched such a procedure, you can’t fully understand how horrifying the act is.”

Please sign this petition to stop inhumane and cruel declawing on the Big Island. And share widely—we need a lot of signatures. Mahalo!