Story published on July 29, 2026
Blue River PetCare Faces Questions on Declawing as It Promotes Medical Excellence and Team Well-Being
Blue River PetCare, one of the nation’s largest veterinary groups, says it is “a growing community of veterinary practices and dedicated professionals working together to better the lives of the patients we treat.”
The company also says it welcomes professionals who share “our commitment to medical excellence” and that “every practice is built on trusted one-on-one relationships and outstanding patient care.”
Yet despite those public commitments, Blue River PetCare allows declawing in its hospitals.
Blue River also states: “At Blue River, we focus on the health and wellbeing of our clinical team members as much as we do the animals they treat.”
How does allowing declawing—an inhumane, mutilating, unnecessary amputation procedure that causes lifelong harm to cats and moral stress among veterinary professionals—align with Blue River’s stated commitments to medical excellence, outstanding patient care, and the well-being of its veterinary teams?
Moral Distress for Staff, Harm to Cats
City the Kitty has documented widespread moral stress and moral injury among veterinary professionals required to perform, assist with, schedule, or witness elective declaw surgeries. Reports include veterinarians who refuse to perform the procedure but work alongside those who perform it, technicians forced to assist, front-desk staff scheduling a procedure they know is inhumane, and teams caring for cats suffering severe post-operative pain, bleeding, long-term complications, or behavioral problems. Many vet clinics also receive surrendered declawed cats struggling with biting, litter box avoidance, and chronic pain.
Declawing is the amputation of the last bone of each toe. Studies have linked the procedure to chronic pain, behavioral changes, and other problems. Humane alternatives, including regular nail trims, scratching posts, deterrents. training, claw caps as a last resort, and owner education are readily available.
Despite Blue River’s public emphasis on patient welfare, many of its clinics continue to regularly perform declawing. Some even advertise the procedure on their website and some perform four-paw declaws.
Industry Peers Banning Declawing
Many veterinary groups have banned declawing while maintaining veterinarians’ medical autonomy for legitimate medical needs. Here are some of the examples.
- VCA Animal Hospitals banned declawing in 2020, stating: “We no longer feel that elective declawing of cats is a best practice… Patient safety and welfare always come first.”
- Mission Veterinary Partners (MVP) implemented a company-wide ban in 2021, saying it was compelled “to do the right thing” despite never mandating medical protocols. MVP merged with Southern Veterinary Partners in late 2024 to make Mission Pet Health (MPH). Mission Pet Health still allows declawing.
- PetVet Care Centers banned declawing in April 2025. They told their clinics this, “As a company, we do not mandate how doctors practice medicine, but we do expect that ethical decisions are made every day with the patient’s best interest at heart according to the Veterinarian’s Oath.”
- National Veterinary Associates (NVA) banned it on February 1, 2026, said declawing is inhumane, and told their clinics “This clinic position establishes a minimum standard of care grounded in a strong body of evidence demonstrating that elective declawing causes significant short- and long-term harm to cats. It does not restrict medical independence—rather, it ensures our practices align with or exceed standards set by leading experts in feline welfare.”
- CareVet told City the Kitty nonprofit that they will announce their declaw ban in August 2026 and ban it in October 2026.
These companies demonstrate that veterinary autonomy and higher animal welfare standards can coexist.
Blue River PetCare Has Yet to Respond
City the Kitty contacted Blue River PetCare through its Instagram account in January and February asking whether the company has a declawing policy but received no response. In late July, City the Kitty also emailed Blue River requesting clarification on its declawing policy and asking how allowing elective declawing aligns with the company’s stated commitments to patient care, medical excellence, and the well-being of its veterinary teams.
Blue River has not yet responded.
This story will be updated if Blue River PetCare provides a response.
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City the Kitty surveyed a small sample of Blue River PetCare hospitals across the country in February and March 2026 and found strikingly different approaches to declawing.
THE METHOD OF THE INVESTIGATION
City the Kitty researchers made a short call to random Blue River PetCare clinics to see how they address declawing.
The general questioning went like this: The researcher asked for a price for a spay/neuter with a declaw, asked who their declawing vet is, asked what declawing method they use, asked if they perform declaws regularly and if declawing is ok for a cat long term.
We have withheld the names of employees for fear that they might suffer a backlash for their honest answers.
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
Several hospitals advertised or confirmed they perform declaws, including two-paw and four-paw procedures, with employees often assuring callers the procedure was safe long term despite published research documenting lasting harm.
One AAHA-accredited Blue River PetCare hospital even claimed laser declawing was “virtually bloodless and painless” on their website and one of their employees, in 2024, incorrectly stated that only the nail, not the last bone of the toe, is removed.
In contrast, other Blue River PetCare hospitals said they no longer declaw because they consider the procedure inhumane, unethical, unnecessary, and capable of causing lifelong pain and complications.
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Haven Lake Animal Hospital. Milford, DE
Link to screenshot- https://www.havenlakeanimalhospital.com/surgery.pml
One of the veterinarians at this Blue River PetCare clinic is Dr Erin Giebel. She is one of the 5 veterinarians who testified against the 2022 Delaware bill and helped stop it.
(According to the bills sponsor Senator John Walsh, a majority of the committee sided with five pro-declaw veterinarians and their unsupported justifications, and the bill was not released from committee. Declawing is still legal in Delaware.)
Here is the short YouTube video of the public hearing with the 5 Delaware veterinarians testifying against the bill.
Dr Giebel’s testimony is first.
Some of the things she said in it were,”I am currently the president of the board of veterinary medicine for professional regulation as a board we do feel that this procedure should still be allowed to be performed” , “this procedure has been improved over the years”, “we do use a lot more both pre and post-op pain management… that these animals come out usually feeling fairly good after the procedure and the days following.”
Dr. Erin Giebel said that trimming a cat’s nails or applying Soft Paws “is not really always the easiest thing for all these cats,” explaining that “not all cats allow an owner to do it,” and that it may require “two or three technicians” to restrain a cat for a nail trim. Dr. Giebel urged lawmakers to reject the Delaware anti-declawing bill, saying “As far as this being a cruelty thing and our investigators having to go through and investigate, and the board having to hear all the claims, there are more important things i think that our board needs to be focusing on for our patients and the Delaware community” and that decisions about declawing should remain between veterinarians and their clients.
April 2026. Researcher asked for the cost of a neuter and declaw. The employee said that a neuter/2 paw declaw is $910. They said you have to discuss with the doctor if they will do a 4 paw declaw.
The employee said they have 7 vets at their clinic and said they do surgeries from Monday-Friday. Researcher asked who performs their declaws and the employee said, “all of our doctors do declaws.”
Researcher asked if a declaw is ok for the cat long term and the employee said they have never had a cat declawed but said, “I assume they are fine.”
Researcher asked if they perform declaws regularly and the employee said, “Oh yea.”
(Dr. Erin Giebel Whaley’s testimony against Delaware’s 2022 anti-declawing bill reveals a troubling disconnect. She claimed declawing has “improved over the years,” defended it with better pain management, and said cats “usually come out feeling fairly good after the procedure.” She dismissed alternatives, arguing nail trims and Soft Paws are “not really always the easiest thing” because “not all cats allow an owner to do it” and may require “two or three technicians” to restrain them. She also argued that addressing declawing claims was not a priority, stating: “As far as this being a cruelty thing and our investigators having to go through and investigate, and the board having to hear all the claims, there are more important things I think that our board needs to be focusing on for our patients and the Delaware community.”
This defense is particularly egregious because Dr. Giebel recently started working at Haven Lake Animal Hospital, a Blue River PetCare clinic that performs declawing regularly according to an employee. In April 2026, staff confirmed “all of our doctors do declaws,” said they do them regularly, and even advertise declawing on their website.
Veterinary medicine should set higher standards, not defend this elective, inhumane, and unnecessary amputation procedure that most modern and ethical veterinary organizations have banned.
Blue River PetCare, which publicly promotes “medical excellence” and “outstanding patient care,” should ban declawing across all its hospitals to protect cats from outdated, inhumane, and harmful practices supported and performed by many of its own veterinarians.
True medical autonomy does not require shielding animal cruelty.)
Ross Hospital for Animals. Bloomfield Hills, MI. This is an AAHA Accredited Animal Hospital.
For years their website had declawing listed on it with this information and in July 2026 they finally took it down, but still kept the laser declawing advertisement.
In 2024 an employee at this AAHA hospital said they only take the nail off rather than going down to the knuckle.
(Declawing always involves taking off the last bone in a cat’s paw otherwise the nail will grow back.)
2025. Researcher asked for the cost of a neuter/declaw and the employee asked, “Were you looking for all four paws declaw or just the front?” Their rough cost for a 2 paw declaw/neuter is $1100 and a 4 paw declaw/neuter is $1255.
The researcher asked what vet does their declaws and the employee said Dr Mazzuchi does all their surgeries and she uses the laser for their declaws. They have 3 vets listed on their website. https://rosshospital.com/about-us/team/
The researcher asked if the laser is better for a declaw and the employee said yes, because it allows the healing process to go a little bit easier.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said, “Yea, yea, usually there aren’t any further problems with that.”
Researcher asked if Dr Mazzuchi does declaws regularly and the employee said yes.
2024. Researcher asked for the cost of a declaw and the employee asked, “Would you be doing the front declaw or all four?”
A four paw declaw is $1300 and 2 paw is $1200 plus the cost of meds to go home.
The employee said that Dr Mazzuchi does their declaws with a laser.
Researcher asked if she does declaws regularly and the employee said, “Yep, she’s been here for almost 30 years.” The employee said that Dr Mazzuchi just had a declaw the other day and said, “she does them quite often.”
Researcher asked if the cats are ok after a declaw and they employee said, “Umm, yea” and laughed.
They said you can do a little bit more research on declawing and that would be able to tell you more.
Researcher asked how the laser is better for a declaw and the employee said that it’s quicker healing and said, “We only take the nail off rather than going down to the knuckle.”
Researcher asked, “Dr Mazzuchi only takes the nail off and not the knuckle?” and the employee said, “correct.”
Researcher asked the employee how they know that Dr Mazzuchi only takes off the nail and they said that the tech is back there with her and is there when she does the surgery.
Woodland Veterinary Hospital. Moreland Hills, OH
Link to this declaw page- https://www.woodlandveterinary.com/surgical-services/4182319
Woodland Veterinary Hospital says this on their website: “Welcome to Woodland, where your pet’s health and comfort are our top priorities”, “Woodland Veterinary Hospital provides a friendly environment where dogs and cats feel safe and cared for from the moment they walk in. Our compassionate team is dedicated to delivering quality care, ensuring every pet receives the attention, treatment, and support they deserve for a healthy, happy life.”
2026. The employee said they have to see the cat first for a consultation and a neuter/declaw is $630. The employee said that their vets, Dr White and Dr Thompson can do a declaw. They only have these two vets on their website. https://woodlandveterinary.com/about-us/team/
The employee said that they do declaws the old fashioned way with an amputation with a clipper.
Researcher asked if they perform declaws regularly and the employee said they don’t do them that often and said a lot of people are not declawing.
Researcher asked if a declaw is ok for the cat long term and the employee said, “You are amputating the first digit of their toes” and said most of the time they are ok but they can’t guarantee it.
A July 15, 2026 Facebook and Instagram post on Blue River PetCare’s profile said this: “Meet Dr. Thompson, Associate Veterinarian at Woodland Veterinary Hospital in Moreland Hills, OH! Since joining Woodland in 2016, she’s become known for her positive attitude, enthusiasm, and exceptional care. What do you love most about working at Woodland?
“Our clients value all of the staff and take great care of their pets, which makes our difficult job a little bit easier. I have the freedom and support to practice high-quality medicine at my own pace. Most importantly to me is that I am able to maintain a healthy work/life balance.”
and it said, “Dr. Thompson has been a recurring guest on her local news station for a segment called “The Pet Project”, where she promotes pet health in her community. Dog and cat owners send in a variety of questions for Dr. Thompson to answer on air, and she shares her expertise and helpful resources! Check out one of her news segments! https://bit.ly/4w9jPHy
Ready to grow your career in a practice that values extraordinary care and authenticity? You could even work with Dr. Thompson at Woodland!”
(Declawing is not exceptional care, high quality medicine, and it harms a cat’s health and well being.)
Burleigh Road Animal Hospital. Brookfield, WI. This is an AAHA Accredited Animal Hospital.
Link to their declaw page. https://burleighroadanimalhospital.com/surgery/
The employee said a neuter is around $850 and a declaw is around $200 extra. They said Dr Ben does their declaws and uses a scalpel. They only have one vet on their website. https://burleighroadanimalhospital.com/about-us/
Researcher asked if they perform declaws regularly and the employee said they don’t do them as much as they used to but do them occasionally.
Researcher asked if a declaw is ok for the cat long term and the employee said, “For the most part, yes.”
Augusta Animal Clinic. Augusta, KS
Link to this declaw page. http://augustaanimalclinicks.com/veterinary-services.html
Researcher asked for the cost of a neuter/declaw and the employee asked, “Is it all four or just the fronts.”
A 4 paw declaw/neuter is $653.15 and a 2 paw declaw/neuter is $504.55.
They said that Dr Sullivan and Dr Cocke do their declaws. They have 3 veterinarians listed on their website.
Researcher asked if they perform declaws regularly and the employee said, “Oh yes, definitely.”
Researcher asked if a declaw is ok for the cat long term and the employee said yes and said they use the laser and said the cats “do pretty good with it.”
Long Drive Dog and Cat Hospital. Houston, TX
The employee said they only do the 2 paw declaws and a neuter/declaw is from $750-$850. They said they have one doctor who will do them, Dr Castro. They have three vets listed on their website. https://longdrivedogcat.com/about-our-clinic/our-team/
Researcher asked if a declaw is ok for the cat long term and the employee said, “I would say so. Yes.”
Researcher asked if Dr Castro performs declaws regularly and the employee said she’s been a doctor for 20 years and said “she’s done a whole bunch of them” but said they don’t have too many people doing declaws so it’s maybe one every month or two months.
Researcher asked if a declaw is bad for a cat and the employee said, “No, it’s just a preference.”
Countryside Animal Hospital. Dundas, MN.
The employee said that a neuter/declaw is from $1100-$1400 and they have two vets who can do the declaws, Dr Wass and Dr Treblehorn and they only do the two paws. They have 3 vets listed on their website. https://www.countrysideanimalhospital.com/about-us/team/
Researcher asked if they perform declaws regularly and the employee said, “Yep, correct.”
Researcher asked if a declaw is ok for the cat long term and the employee said yes.
Scott Lake Veterinary Center. Prior Lake, MN
They said they do not perform declaws and said “nowadays” it’s considered inhumane”, not necessary, and there are a lot of other options. They said there are less clinics that still do declaws. The employee said it can cause serious complications, healing can be complicated, and can cause pain for the rest of the cat’s life.
Sauk Prairie Small Animal Hospital. Prairie du Sac, WI. This is an AAHA Accredited Animal Hospital
The employee said that you need to get an exam to get the cost of a declaw/neuter.
They said they have 3 vets who will do a declaw and they use either a laser or scalpel. They said that a scalpel declaw is less money. https://spsmallanimalhospital.com/about-us/team/
Researcher asked if they perform declaws regularly and the employee said, “Yea, they do them pretty regularly.”
Researcher asked if a declaw is ok for the cat long term and the employee said, yes.
Deerfoot Animal Clinic. (Trussville, AL)
A neuter/declaw $120
Affordable Care Veterinary Clinic. PA
They don’t declaw cats. Researcher asked why and the employee said that it’s akin to cutting off the first part of your finger off and they can’t protect themselves if they get outside, it can cause arthritis, and they have trouble walking.
Rainbow City Pet Clinic.Rainbow City, AL
A neuter/declaw is $368.
Just Cats Veterinary Service. The Woodlands, TX
They do not declaw. They said it’s considered unethical and can negatively impact the cat and their health.
Moore Veterinary Hospital. St. Claire Shores, MI
They don’t declaw cats. Researcher asked why and the employee said that they believe it’s inhumane.