BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) - Albany lawmakers are scheduled for a vote as early as Tuesday on a bill which will ban cat declawing in New York State.
Democratic lawmakers said that claws on a cat play an important role in various aspects of their lives. Cats use their claws to assist in climbing and maintaining balance. They also use their claws to relieve stress through kneading and to escape danger.
Removing a cats claws involves the removal of all or most of the last bone of each of their toes of the front feet, tendons, nerves, and ligaments.
Multiple variations of the bill were introduced since 2015. The bill was introduced in the state senate by Michael Gianaris and co-sponsored Gustavo Rivera. It was also introduced in the assembly by Linda Rosenthal and co-sponsored by more than a dozen other politicians.