Come on America; Canada is beating you to a nationwide ban on declawing!

NEWSA AND VIEWS - SASKATCHEWAN, CANADIAN PROVINCE: Some more great news on the long journey to ending the declawing of cats in North America. Canada is miles ahead of America in doing away with this obnoxious operation. Saskatchewan have now banned it. They follow in the footsteps of other jurisdictions in Canada who've banned it: British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, P.E.I. and Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Saskatchewan Veterinary Medical Association's membership recently passed a new bylaw to ban the declawing of cats within the province. File / Global News

Come on America. Please for the love of God get rid of it. You know it is no good, immoral and cruel.

The Saskatchewan Veterinary Medical Association (SVMA) passed the new bylaw on Sept. 12 during its annual general meeting. The law was proposed by members. The majority voted for a ban. The ban is currently active. It states: "No member shall perform elective and non-therapeutic partial digital amputation of any felid including domestic cats". It is the usual ban which prohibits declawing when it is not for the benefit of the cat; 99% are at the convenience of the owner.

Saskatchewan. Image: Wikipedia.

Associated: New York state declawing ban passes state legislature

The good vets of Canada who don't want to declaw anyway can now turn to their clients and explain why they can't comply with their request. It is now time to educate the cat owning public of Canada. I hope and presume the vets will do this.

There was already a decline in the number of people requesting declawing before the ban took effect. The message is clearly getting across to the public. They are beginning to understand that it is not removing the claw but a part of the toe from the last joint. It is an amputation. Vets have had a habit of downplaying the operation. Unethical behaviour.

And, yes, you know that cats walk on their toes! Think of it. Think what it means to a cat to lose the ends of all their toes on their forepaws. Confusion, pain, distress and sometimes complications. Too many complications. To many cats going back to the vet for a follow up because the cat does not feel well. Botched? How many?