This is serious my friends. I was threatened with “legal ramifications” and “harassment” if I don’t cooperate and this person said I have no idea who I started a fight with. YIKES! This has the hair on my body standing on end and scared me so much that I called 1-800- LawyerUp to get one on standby.
I want to open with this. The reason I’m posting this story is to show what is ALL wrong with declawing in this country and in so many veterinary practices. Too many pro-declaw vets have shaped the mindset of their cat owners in America to believe that declawing is humane and ok. This cat owner obviously trusts her vet and his advice about declawing. She has zero problem that he has her poor declawed kitten up on his website to show how kind they are to “heal” after they’ve “harmed”, and for purposes that help his business. Yet she doesn’t want this poor kitty’s photo used to help educate cat owners that declawing is bad for a cat and that there are always humane alternatives.
If you used the photo of the kitten that was just declawed with a laser getting its wounds “healed” with the pulse therapy laser treatment” FROM MY POST a few weeks ago, I’m being a responsible journalist and telling you that the owner is requesting it be taken down because it bothers her and also she doesn’t want it used for this cause.
I was told about this animal hospital by some of you who saw it on their video post on instagram. I can’t show you this particular photo that I’m referring to since I took it down and I don’t want to be sued or harassed by this lady who must be a tough cookie, but the animal hospital has it on the front of it’s website so you can take a look at it here [button href=”http://www.vanloonanimalhospital.com/” color=”red” newwindow=”yes”] Take Down the Laser Declawed Paw photo[/button] or in the spay/neuter/declaw section VanLoonAnimalHospitalSpayNeuterDeclaw
or it is on their facebook page too [button href=”https://www.facebook.com/VanLoonAnimalHospital/photos/a.198197580325466.67318.173323926146165/739566299521922/?type=3&theater” color=”red” newwindow=”yes”] Disturbing photo of a declawed kitty paw[/button]
My question is this. When you send me heads up about veterinary practices putting out declawing propaganda and photos, should I just look the other way and let them keep deceiving cat owners that declawing is fine for their cats and they have a “humane” way to amputate kittens and cat’s toes?
The NYSVMS and all the other veterinary associations like to say that they are the ones who know best about the medical treatments for animals and stopping declawing is a “detriment to animals.” (Yes the NYSVMS President said that our bill that would ban declawing is a “detriment to animals.”) So can we trust the pro-declaw vets to make the right decisions for all the kittens and cats in America? Especially when they have those $35,000 lasers and need to do a lot of toe amputations to pay it back.
I will let my mom tell the back story about this… A couple weeks ago, some of you let me know about a video that a veterinary practice posted on Instgram and with the caption, “The power of laser surgery. This little guy was neutered and laser declawed two hours go and hasn’t skipped a beat!!” They also tagged their location and veterinary practice on the post.
After all, many businesses use instagram to get the word out about their services and companies.
So in a nutshell, this is what I did.
I called the practice and even had someone sitting next to me to listen to the phone call as a witness. These days they accuse you of the craziest things so I always need to cover my bases.
I respectfully told the vet tech of 10 yrs/manager of this practice that I was wondering if I could email some declawing information so that they would be educated about the facts of declawing and so they could pass it along to their clients. I told them that people had sent me their video that they posted for the world to see and I had seen the actual post on instagram too before they took it down.
This woman didn’t take well to that and accused me of attacking their practice and said other clinics declaw cats too. This experienced vet tech said that they get their educational info from the AVMA and they didn’t need mine.
In case you didn’t see what their declawing info said on their website (They since have taken it off their website), here it is.
DeClawing of Cats
Why Declaw?
Safety for our children; 70% of cats sleep with there owners;children frequently wake up with scratches around their eyes leading to concerned parents. Behavior problems are the number one cause of relinquishing pet ownership;high gloss furniture scratches, couches for scratching posts and lace drapes destroyed by claws are not acceptable for some clients.
Is Declawing Humane?
Most of the bad public relations about declawing comes from years ago when laser was not yet employed; we brought the first surgical laser to the LaCrosse area in 2000 and have not declawed a cat without it since. Provided patients are corrected as kittens this is a “very humane” procedure. We routinely see patients playing with their paws right out of surgery. Through the use of laser surgery, local nerve blocks and state of the art pain drugs we are able to make this a very humane procedure…all of our declaws are fully insure, receive antibiotics and follow up pulse therapy laser treatment to further suppress any pain.
Here is the full story in case you didn’t read it [button href=”https://citythekitty.org/dont-need-educational-info-get-avma/” color=”red” newwindow=”yes”] Story[/button]
I never heard back from the practice after I respectfully emailed them declawing info and also sent them the AVMA position on declawing.
So here is where it gets crazy.
I did that post and blocked out any names of the vet practice or veterinarian, to educate America about the FACTS about declawing and to show people that the majority of pro-declaw veterinarians are deceiving their clients about this mutilating, elective, unnecessary, and inhumane procedure. Whether it’s that they don’t educate the cat owners, or teach them about the humane alternative that work, or put up really bad propaganda that makes cat owners believe that declawing a cat or kitten is completely humane or ok.
I got 3 emails on facebook from a woman saying that something about the photo bothers her, then another note saying that the photo of the cat with the open wounds on its paw, being treated with the pulse laser, was her photo and that she wanted it taken off my post.
I have been harassed by a lot of fake accounts lately so I wanted to make sure that she was the true owner of this photo and told her I would take it down but needed to confirm with this veterinary practice the next day, Monday, when they were back to work.
Here is a little of our dialogue. Her comments are in red.
Hey City the Kitty, there’s something about this photo that bothers me. Would you please take it down?
Hey City the Kitty, I am the owner of this picture and you do not have copyright rights. Would you please take it down?
Hey City the Kitty, there’s something about this photo that bothers me. Would you please take it down?
Can you please let me know if you are the owner of this cat that was laser declawed at Van loon or if you work with van loon animals hospital. I reached out to them but they never got back with me in a phone call or emails. I’m out until midnight and won’t be able to do anything about it until then. Why does the photo bother you?
No I am not an employee. This is my underaged daughters kitten. I did not give you permission to place this photo on your site therefore you must take it down as soon as possible.
I asked her how she heard about this photo and if this vet informed her that declawing was amputations and that it was bad for the health and well being of her kitten. I asked her why using her photo anonymously to educate cat owners about the truth about declawing bothers her and it doesn’t bother her to see the photo on this veterinary practices website. I told her how many pro-declaw vets were deceiving cat owners like her about this mutilating procedure. I sent her the link to my website so she could read some of my stories about this. She wrote me back.
What the hell is wrong with you? I am not answering any of your questions. I want my picture taken down or you will have legal ramifications not to mention harassment. Plus you are too over bearing and pushy on this subject. Why don’t you put your energies like this into human abortion or something. Maybe even the presidential election. Or here’s a good one….go become a veterinarian. Last but not least you obviously do not understand what was really happening in the picture and you are putting it way out of context. Pull the picture down NOW!
I asked her to please tell me what was happening in the photo and that I am a journalist and write a lot of educational posts about declawing. So I tried to calm her down and remind her that I would have my lawyer (that I needed to find) reach out to this veterinary practice the next day to confirm that the photo is hers and then I would take it down. I told her that I work full-time on this cause as a volunteer to help save kitties from this unnecessary and inhumane procedure. I said thanks and hope she can clear up some of this confusion by answering my simple and respectful questions. (they aren’t overbearing and pushy) I told her that I hoped she and her family were having a happy Fathers day.
She wrote back.
First off I don’t care that you are a journalist of that it is your mission in life to prevent cats from being mutlated. Would you like to know that the kitten in the picture is a rescue kitten? Yes we took him in to prevent a horrible life that he may have encountered. We live in a busy highway….perhaps I could take pictures of cats that are run over in the highway….that fits for it a definition of mutation. I do not have to prove to you that is my kitten or my picture. I am telling you it is and I am requesting you take the picture off all social media sites as I am finding you are posting it elsewhere in other social media sites. Shame on you!!! You might be from New York but we are not not that in the Midwestern part of the states. So please keep your thoughts to yourself . Obviously you need to get a job. You have too much time on your hands to worry about something you have no control over. NONE!!! Put your efforts into something more worthy. And please do have your lawyer contact Van Loon Animal Hospital. You have no idea who you have started a fight with!!!
So then I was quite taken aback. She was upset that I needed to simply confirm that she was the real owner of the photo and that I was dedicating my life to helping to end this barbaric cruelty to cats??
I was confused even more because it truly sounds like she feels that a cat has to be declawed if it is rescued. I asked her if this vet told her that it should be neutered AND declawed to take into her home. After all, I’m the curious kind and wanted to know where she got that mindset about rescuing and automatically declawing a kitten.
I told her that I’m from the Midwest, born and raised in Michigan and Indiana and that I know what good morals and values are. I know the importance of honesty and compassion. I was raised to treat all animals and people with respect and care and not hurt them or be cruel to them and torture them. I asked her to do a simple 5 min google search to see the facts about declawing.
She sent me a very cute photo of her orange kitty laying on its back with its arms outstretched and said this,
Here is Scooter the now cat that was a kitten in the picture. He is absolutely happy and the best cat we have ever had. He was NEVER mutilated. I would send you better picture but I fear you will spread that one too. Further more I no longer will be communicating with you unless it’s through my lawyer. And expect a fine if you don’t take down my picture from all social media sites unless you want to pay for the picture rights. I will be communicating with Van Loon staff in the morning as I am sure you will be harassing them more tomorrow. Have a good day and find something more constructive to do with your time.
Ok, so now, sending an email to the clinic to ask them to confirm whose photo this is, is now considered harassment. So when you attempt to educate someone respectfully, it’s considered “starting a fight”???? I told her that declawing IS a very important issue.
She said,
No it’s only important to you…..quit harassing me.
Hmmmm, so trying to have a normal, intelligent conversation with someone with educational info is considered harassment. Okie dokie.
And then a short time later, she obviously told one of her friends to send me a note which said…
I think it’s kinda rude that you can stalk people sites about their cats and on top of it call the vet and talk to them about declawing cats. That’s fine it’s ur choice of an opinion, but keep it to urself and don’t harass people how they want to take care of their pets, I think theirs alot of other animals I’d be worried about bad breeders
It’s people like you…..
So then I respectfully asked her about the stalking comment since I was told about the video that this veterinary hospital posted for the world to see by some of my followers.
I asked her if she was just a dog person and didn’t care about the welfare of cats and this cruelty.
She wrote back…
Obviously you checked out my Facebook page, really do ur preaching to people who would like your opinion, if people don’t want to hear it than it means stop
Hmmm, I didn’t want to hurt her feelings but I told her that I didn’t check her out and that one good lesson in life is to never assume anything. I told her that it was sad that she and her friend were choosing to not educate themselves about the facts about declawing and that I wasn’t the one coming on their page and telling them off.
I simply told her friend that I would confirm that it was her photo the next day and if it was, I would take it down. I have every right to tell them the facts about declawing especially when they are buying into the propaganda that this veterinary practice was putting out to their clients.
So here is the note I sent to this practice to confirm who owns the photo and asked them to find out how much money she wants to use her photo since she said “And expect a fine if you don’t take down my picture from all social media sites unless you want to pay for the picture rights.” I would pay for picture rights since this photo is a sad example of how a laser burns off a toe bone on a cat’s paws.
“I need to confirm who owns the photo of Scooter getting his mutilated paws “treated” with your laser after he had his toes amputated. The photo is on your website and someone wrote me and said it was her photo and I need to not use it in my story or else I will need to pay for rights.
Thanks”
(owner of the cat) does not want to sell you rights to her photo. She wants the photo removed immediately from all social media. You may have your lawyer call, I know that ____ has already contacted hers, and if necessary, we will contact ours.
Okie dokie…I told her that their video was sent to me and many people saw it and their practice before I posted anything. I told her that I will remove the photo from my social media posts and website. Not sure why they were throwing the lawyer words around when I simply said that I would take the photo down once I get confirmation about the owner.So here is where I need your advice. I do my best to respectfully and privately reach out to these vet practices and hope that they will at the very least start doing what all their veterinary associations say, INCLUDING the AVMA, as far as educating cat clients about the facts and counsel them with the humane alternatives.
The sad part is that it seems like all the veterinary associations do is write the politically correct declawing policy words but they don’t enforce them or care if their policies aren’t being used by the pro-declaw vets in America. The AVMA, AAHA, and AAFP don’t enforce their declawing policies.
Remember when I did a post about a veterinarian who had this terrible info up on her website about declawing and it was deceiving her clients to believe she had a humane and better way to declaw cats. I posted this post ANONYMOUSLY without her name on it and without the practice’s name on it. Since she was an AVMA vet, I sent it to the senior media relations specialist with the AVMA and was naive to think that he would simply reach out to this vet and ask her about her special declaw technique and politely ask her to stop deceiving cat owners. [button href=”https://citythekitty.org/dear-david-how-did-you-overcome-goliath/” color=”red” newwindow=”yes”] “We are proud to offer a declaw like no other”[/button]
Instead of this media relations specialist just simply reaching out to this vet and asking her to use factual info on her website and following their guidelines, the AVMA sent MY personal email out to all the veterinary associations in America, warning them about me! Instead of reminding them about their declawing policy and trying to instill a more modern and compassionate mindset in all their 88,000 member vets, the AVMA warned them about cyber attacks. How could there be “cyber attacks” against their clinics if their names and practice names aren’t being posted? They defend their vets no matter what they do in regards to declawing.
I just am at a loss as to what to do anymore because I don’t need this drama or vitriol.
Please don’t threaten any of these “doctors.” Despite this terrible and deceitful path that they are taking, we must do the right thing and take the high road even though they aren’t. If you threaten them in any way, they will twist things and play the victim. We know that the only victims are all the kitties that they are senselessly and cruelly mutilating and harming.
We must never give up on educating the public with the facts about declawing and we can shine light on their unethical and deceitful ways.
Tell all your friends, family, and co-workers to ask their vets to stop declawing and if they won’t stop then ask them to take their business to an ethical, no-declaw veterinarian.
And on a last note, this totally could be a coincidence and I can’t say if it is anyone connected to this, but the day after I posted this story, I started receiving notices that my email was being used to set up accounts on various sites. Well they started with adult x-rated sites and just yesterday signed me up to a nice Christian site.
Needless to say the person who is doing it isn’t that smart because everything online is traceable. So far, with the help of these sites and after filing a police report for harassment, we are making progress on finding where the person is from. The nice Christian website people sent me all the online data and guess what state they are from. Yep.
Wisconsin. (I know the specific town but am not going to post it)
And let me tell you. I’m 100% sure that God isn’t happy that these beautiful and perfect little creatures are having their much needed toes and claws amputated for the sake of lace drapes, couches, or high gloss furniture.
#WakeUpWisconsin #DeclawingIsInhumane
On a footnote. Remember, the President of the NYSVMS who “aggressively” (NYSVMS words) lead the charge to stop our Cat Protection Bill in NY that would have ended declawing in that state, says that burning off cats and kitten’s toe bones with a laser is “much more humane” than the traditional way. Although what is confusing is that she also offers this less humane , traditional way, at her practice. [button href=”https://citythekitty.org/does-the-nysvms-president-walk-the-talk/” color=”red” newwindow=”yes”] NYSVMS President and Declawing[/button]