In 2001, the City of West Hollywood made headlines around the world when it passed a law that replaced the term “owner” with “guardian” in all city ordinances relating to pets. To many, the measure was innocuous — granting domestic animals a largely symbolic recognition in the pursuit of animal welfare.
But a more recent resolution to ban the declawing of cats has raised the hackles of many pet owners (or guardians) and veterinarians, including the California Veterinary Medical Association. According to the law’s detractors, the decision to declaw a cat should be left to the pet’s doctor and not the City Council.
We visit with proponents and opponents of this controversial law.
An earlier version of this story first aired September 9, 2005.
- AB 1857, Animal cruelty: exotic or native wild cat species: declawing. History and updates.
- CVMA Holds Press Conference to Announce Lawsuit Against City of West Hollywood, California Veterinary Medical Association
- The Paw Project: Advocating Animal Welfare and prohibition of cat declawing
- West Hollywood Bans Cat Declawing, City of West Hollywood
- Owners or guardians?, Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
- Pets or Furpeople? Owners or Guardians?, The Cat Fanciers’ Association
- Ownership V. Guardianship, National Association for Biomedical Research, Animal Law Section: “The effort by activist groups to change the term ‘owner’ to ‘guardian’ in local ordinances and state laws relating to pets continues in a number of jurisdictions. While this campaign is marketed as a feel-good exercise, this ’simple’ change in language elevates animals above their current status as property - with potentially enormous legal implications.”
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