UPDATE. Oct. 14, 2025. The ASPCA finally updated their declawing position and took out the euthanasia excuse from their main position and their destructive scratching section. Please give them a thank you and ask if they will help ban declawing nationwide, especially when the bills in AZ and IL come back on the table since those are the states where the ASPCA’s declawing position was used to STOP the bills. Legislation@aspca.org
Please let us know if you get an answer from them.
Story published on Oct. 6, 2025.
Subaru’s Silence on ASPCA’s Harmful Declawing Stance Betrays “Subaru Loves Pets” Campaign
The ASPCA, a leading animal welfare organization since 1866, claims animals deserve kind treatment and legal protection, yet hypocritically defends cat declawing as a “last resort to prevent euthanasia.” Despite their mission to prevent cruelty through programs like legislative advocacy and research, they provide no evidence for this stance, which has been used to block declawing bans, enabling veterinarians to profit from a procedure widely condemned as inhumane.
City the Kitty representative in March 2025 told the ASPCA’s director of donor communications in a call that was recorded by the ASPCA, that their euthanasia excuse in their declawing position is not backed up with data. She replied, “Actually you’re saying that it’s not backed up by data, that’s not what we’re saying.” City the Kitty asked why won’t she provide this data and she said, “I don’t have to.”
Subaru’s generosity masks a glaring hypocrisy: while the automaker funds the ASPCA as its top corporate donor, it has ignored their partner’s antiquated, unscientific defense of cat declawing — a stance that has been used to block state bans and allows veterinarians to keep profiting from a procedure experts call inhumane and mutilation. Thousands of cats are at risk BECAUSE of the ASPCA’s dangerous declawing position.
For five years, the nonprofit City the Kitty has urged Subaru to pressure the ASPCA to produce data supporting its claim that declawing may be “justifiable as a last resort to prevent euthanasia.”
The ASPCA stands alone among major veterinary and animal welfare organizations in clinging to this false and antiquated rationale and has never provided evidence to back it up even though they say on their website that all their policies are backed up by scientific research and evidence.
Subaru has repeatedly brushed off the appeals.
March 10, 2022. Email from Subaru. “Thank you for your messages, which have been received by Subaru. Information on our business operations is proprietary. Your concern with our support of The ASPCA has been documented and reported throughout Subaru. I am sorry that further information on your concern is unavailable.”
March 14, 2022 Email from Subaru. “Thank you for contacting Subaru of America, Inc. with your concerns related to The ASPCA and their treatment of cats. We appreciate that you brought your concerns to our attention. Your message has been documented and reported throughout Subaru for review and consideration. We are always striving to improve as an organization. Sincerely, John Mergen Subaru of America, Inc. Customer Advocacy Department 1-800-SUBARU3 (1-800-782-2783)”
Feb. 17, 2023 City the Kitty nonprofit received a phone call from Subaru of America, Inc. and they said that this issue is now on the desk of their President (Thomas Doll was the President at that time) and their marketing and executive teams.
City the Kitty has not received a response from Subaru since then.
Meanwhile, the ASPCA’s policy has been cited by veterinary lobbyists in Arizona, Illinois, and Wyoming to successfully block anti-declawing legislation, giving political cover to those profiting from the procedure.
The evidence tells a different story.
AAFP (Feline VMA): “No peer-reviewed data” supports the claim that scratching leads to euthanasia or abandonment.
Banfield Pet Hospital (nation’s largest vet chain, banned declawing in 2020): “Current evidence does not support” declawing as an alternative to abandonment or euthanasia.
VCA Animal Hospitals (also banned declawing in 2020): Declawing leads to litter box avoidance and biting — the top reasons cats are surrendered and euthanized.*
AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association):Removed the euthanasia excuse from its policy in 2020 after reviewing the science.
Animal Humane Society updated their declawing position statement (March 2023) and removed this sentence, “When destructive behavior cannot be modified, Animal Humane Society believes that declawing, as a last resort, is preferable to abandonment, euthanasia or relinquishing ownership of a cat. We advocate that people make an informed decision about declawing in consultation with their veterinarian.”
Shelter data underscores the risks.
Studies in Louisiana and Delaware found 70–75% of cats surrendered for behavior problems were declawed. In New Jersey, one county shelter reported **80% of surrendered declawed cats were euthanized due to litter box and biting issues. A 2017 study in the *Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery* found declawed cats were 7 times more likely to avoid the litter box and 4.5 times more likely to bite.
A 2025 Université de Montréal study found declawed cats experience more pain than cats with arthritis, with nerve damage and lasting mobility problems.
“Declawing is indefensible. The ASPCA’s position is a gift to veterinarians who profit from mutilating cats, and Subaru has seen the proof,” City the Kitty said in a statement. “By ignoring this issue, Subaru shows it does not care about the welfare of cats.”
Advocates argue Subaru could end the hypocrisy overnight by demanding data from the ASPCA — or by redirecting its donations to shelters that reject declawing and truly protect all pets.
“If Subaru insists on looking the other way while enabling this cruelty, it should stop pretending,” City the Kitty said. “Call it what it is: *‘Subaru Loves Dogs.’* Because clearly, Subaru has shown it does not love cats.”
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Let us know if you get an answer.
Contact Subaru: Danton@subaru.com, Aleiter@subaru.com Abethke@subaru.com
Call their customer advocacy line. 1-800-782-2783
Let us know if you get an answer.
Petition: https://www.change.org/p/subaru-you-are-supporting-cat-cruelty-declawing-by-donating-to-the-aspca
Contact info for Subaru Loves Pets campaign and Subaru leaders
Alan Bethke
Senior Vice President, Marketing
Abethke@subaru.com
Dominick Infante
Director, Corporate Communications
(856) 488-8615
Diane Anton
Manager, Corporate Communications
(856) 488-5093
Adam Leiter
Corporate Communications Specialist
(856) 488-8668