Yesterday the Berkeley City Council voted unanimously to ban the veterinary practice of declawing cats within city limits, making it a misdemeanor punishable by a $1,000 fine or six months in jail.
Councilman Jesse Arreguin, who co-authored the law with Councilwoman Susan Wengraf, said Berkeley stays true to its "history of being humane to all its creatures" by banning this "horrific" procedure that only benefits the owner of the cat.
Veterinarian Carl Singer of Hayward, who represents the California Veterinary Medical Association, said members are against the ban on cat declawing because it will take away a decision that should be available to the cat owner and the vet. But other vets came to the council meeting and spoke in favor of the ban.
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