Story published on August 14, 2023.
Declawing is still a BIG business in Wisconsin in many veterinary clinics but not in Marshfield. The veterinarians in Marshfield did the right thing and stopped performing declawing. Unfortunately many vet clinics in the surrounding towns and in Wisconsin are still making easy and good money from this animal cruelty.
UPDATE. SEPT. 12, 2023. This ordinance to ban declawing was voted down, 6-4. Here is the video of the meeting for this ordinance. It starts at the 1.15 minute mark. Marshfield Common Council meeting
Here are the council people who voted no on the ordinance. We reached out to them and asked them why they didn’t vote to pass this ordinance and some of them replied back.
(Here’s how to call and email your Alderpeople in Marshfield, WI. https://ci.marshfield.wi.us/government/member_information.php )
District 1. Michael Feirer
District 2. Derek Wehrman. He wrote us an email, “I actually do support not declawing cats. In regards to the ordinance, I believe it would have been government overstep. I do believe in protecting animals and want to support in the right way, but I do not believe we are the right entity to step in there. I believe education and a different version of support from us would better drive businesses to not support this.” He also said, ” Given that Alderperson Giles reached out to the local vet services and they already will not support declawing, I felt more confident in that decision as they made their own decision without a ban.”
District 4. Brian Varsho. He wrote us an email. ” Thank you for the email and I understand fully the importance of people protection their animals from inhumane procedures but that is for the people to decide for themselves, not for the City to tell them what to do or not to do. But that was not why I voted no to the ordinance.
I voted no to the ordinance because I could not see a way for us to enforce it, from what I understand the veterinarians that are in the City limits of Marshfield will not do this procedure so what does the ordinance say.
- You cannot own a cat that is declawed in the City Limits??
- You cannot go outside the City to get this procedure done?
- You cannot buy a cat from a humane society that already has this procedure done?
Thank you for your time, Brian Varsho District 4 Alderman”
(The Marshfield city council vote was to use the sample writing from another declawing ban to write and pass an ordinance to also ban declawing in Marshfield.)
People would still be able to own a declawed cat, go outside of Marshfield and have their cat declawed, and adopt declawed cats from the humane societies. We aren’t sure why Brian Varsho is so confused about how this simple ordinance would have worked.
Also the way that any declawing ban is enforced is when someone hears that a veterinarian declawed a cat, they could report it to the city attorney or city official and the declawing vet would have had the penalties imposed on them.
District 8. Rebecca Spiros. On Sept. 12, 2023, she said in the hearing for this ordinance, “Government is by the people, for the people. It’s not for cats. It’s not for dogs.”
District 9. Mike O’Reilly
District 10. Andrew Reigel
Here are the council people who voted yes on the ordinance.
District 3. Nastasha Tompkins
District 5. Ed Wagner
District 6. Russ Stauber
District 7. Brian Giles
The Common Council of Marshfield, WI introduced an ordinance to ban the declawing of cats in July 2023. Brian Giles was the Alderperson who introduced this anti-declawing ordinance.
We wanted to see how the vet clinics in Marshfield and the surrounding area address declawing. We also looked into random declawing vet clinics in Wisconsin.
Our researchers looked into how the clinics address declawing by making a short phone call and asking them for the cost of a neuter/declaw, if they do declaws regularly, and if declaws are ok for a cat long term. We also looked at their websites to see if they advertise that they perform declawing.
There are only three veterinary clinics in Marshfield, WI and none of them perform declawing.
Ten out of the 14 vet clinics in the surrounding towns perform declawing, according to employees who work in those clinics.
We have withheld the names of employees in our survey for fear that they might suffer a backlash for their honest answers.
1) Marshfield Veterinary Service. Marshfield, WI.
They don’t declaw. The employee said their vets prefer to not do declaws. They said that cats have behavioral issues after declaws and they prefer the alternatives to declawing like nail trims.
2) Castlerock Veterinary Hospital. Marshfield, WI.
They don’t declaw.
The employee said that they stopped declawing around 2 years ago because it’s better for cats to not declaw them. They said that the cats can have long-term pain and aversion to using the litter box.
3) Wildwood Animal Hospital and Clinic.Marshfield, WI.
They said that they do not declaw due to ethical reasons. The employee said that when a cat gets declawed it is basically removing their first bone joint and down the line it can cause pain, arthritis, the cat not being able to walk properly, and other complications in cats so they don’t perform them due to the lasting health effects that can happen. They said that they are all about education at their clinic.
Veterinary clinics in towns near Marshfield, WI.
1) Loyal Veterinary Service. Loyal, WI.
Link to Loyal’s feline declaw page. http://www.loyalvetservice.com/small_animal_services.php
The employee said that all four of their doctors are good at declaws. A neuter/declaw is $176 plus cost for pain meds.
They said that Dr Bethany Loos, the co-owner, does most of their surgeries. The employee said that they perform declaws often.
Employee was asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and they said that it’s taking the claws off at their joint so they are walking on part of their joint and they can’t guarantee that the cat will be ok since it’s a painful procedure and every cat is different but said that most will be ok.
They said that Dr Bethany Loos uses a clipper to do the declaws and another one of their doctors uses a scalpel. (The clipper method is the old school and most mutilating way to declaw a cat.)
2) Stratford Veterinary Clinic. Stratford, WI.
Researcher spoke with the declawing vet, Dr Susan Stanius, and she said a cost for a neuter/declaw is $145. Researcher asked her if the cats are ok after a declaw and she said yes and asked if they are ok long term and she said, “Some cats have more pain in the feet than others.”
Researchers asked if they have pain for their lifetime and Dr Stanius said it should heal up in a month or so. Researcher asked if they are ok long term and she said yes. She uses a blade for the declaws.
Researcher asked her if she does declaws regularly and she said yes.
3) Blue Skies Large and Small Animal clinic. Stratford, WI.
Link to Blue Skies Large and Small Animal Clinic’s website. https://www.blueskiesanimalclinic.com/pet-care.php
A neuter/declaw is $225. The employee said that Dr Jennifer Millbower does their declaws regularly.
When asked if the cat is ok long term the employee said yes, they generally do fine. They said that she uses a laser which makes for quicker healing and recovery.
4) Wyllow Pet Hospital. Beaver Dam, WI. AAHA Accredited Animal Hospital.
Link to this info on Wyllow Pet Hospital’s website. http://www.wyllowpethospital.com/Services.html
A neuter/declaw is $392 – $422. The employee said they aren’t taking new clients now. They said that they only do two paw declaws because no one does 4 paw declaws anymore.
They said that their vet, Dr Vicky Smith does their declaws. The employee said that in Madison, WI declawing is outlawed.
Researcher asked why it is outlawed and the employee said, “Because it’s kind of cruel. You’re cutting off the first knuckle, all their fingertip bones, you are cutting all those off.” The employee said that the cats are walking around on their nubs.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok after Dr Smith’s declaws and the employee said, “Yea, absolutely.”
Researcher asked if Dr Smith does declaws regularly and the employee said that they aren’t that common anymore and a lot of people like to just clip their cat’s nails and that declaws aren’t that popular anymore.
The employee said more people are concerned on how painful it is for the cat and you should try to do it as young as possible because the more weight they have it’s harder to heal.
Researcher asked if Dr Smith considers declawing to be cruel and the employee said, “Well we are still doing it because it’s not outlawed in Dodge County, and it will probably change everywhere so you won’t be able to do it anymore.”
Researcher asked if a declaw is cruel then why does Dr Smith perform them and the employee said, “Because people still want it. It’s a matter of opinion.”
They said if you are trying to save your furniture or you have an older cat that’s declawed, it’s not fair to have one that is declawed and one that isn’t since then they play and fight and one would get more beat up than the other one.
They said there are circumstances where a declaw makes sense, like if you have furniture you don’t want them to wreck and that people have different reasons for it.
They said in the U.S. people are just looking at it like it’s unnecessary because you can just trim their nails and that’s what they do for their own cat. The employee said that it’s a service that vets offer and until it’s illegal they are probably going to do them to help people.
5) All Care Animal Hospital. Wisconsin Rapids, WI.
Employee said that a neuter/declaw is $205. They said that their vet Dr Dean Rasmussen does their declaws with a clipper and does them regularly. (The clipper method is the old school and most mutilating way to declaw a cat.)
Researcher asked if a declaw is ok for a cat long term and the employee laughed and said, “Yes, most of the time.”
The employee said that Dr Rasmussen won’t declaw a cat that is over 5 years old because they won’t recuperate very well.
6) County Center Animal Hospital. Marathon City, WI.
A neuter declaw is $400. The employee said that they only have one vet who is still willing to do declaws and that is Dr Jodi Fischer. Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said, “I don’t think they are ok long term” and said there are lots of studies saying they have chronic pain, tendency to be more aggressive, many tendencies to not use the litter box, and it is illegal in some states and overseas.
The employee said, “We are trying to kind of get away from it but we are still willing to do it on a case to case basis.”
Here’s some declawing info on this animal hospital’s website. https://www.ccanimalhospital.com/articles/556478-should-you-declaw-your-cat
7) Athens Veterinary Service. Athens, WI.
The employee said that a neuter/declaw is $350 and they have two vets who do their declaws, Dr Taylor and Dr Amber.
Researcher asked if a declaw is ok for a cat long term and the employee said, “It takes them awhile to heal.” Researcher asked if long term will they be ok and the employee said yes.
Researcher asked if they do them regularly and the employee said no.
8) Weston Veterinary Hospital. Weston, WI.
Link to Weston Veterinary Hospital’s declawing info. https://www.westonvethospital.com/surgery
A neuter/declaw with bloodwork is $545. The employee said that Dr Raymond does a couple of declaws a year.
Employee said it is not something they encourage or regularly do and with declaws even if everything is done right, there is still a chance of the cat experiencing pain or having issues. They said that is the nature of a declaw.
9) Wisconsin Valley Veterinary Service. Wausau WI.
Link to Wisconsin Valley Veterinary Services front declaw website page. https://wisconsinvalleyvet.net/services
A neuter/declaw is $415. The employee said that Dr Becky Myszka does their declaws. Researcher asked if she does them regularly and the employee said that hardly anyone is doing declaws anymore. Researcher asked why and they said, “Because it’s inhumane.” Researcher asked, “Dr Becky will still do them?” Employee said, “she will if needed.” They said it’s being outlawed. Researcher asked when are they needed. They said sometimes people have different issues like when they can’t have the cat scratch them. The employee told the researcher to do some research to see if they really want to do that to a cat.
10) Animal Medical and Surgical Clinic. Wisconsin Rapids, WI.
Here’s the link to this Facebook post. https://www.facebook.com/profile/100063555760903/search?q=declaw
Researcher asked for the cost of a neuter/declaw and the employee asked, “Is it 2 paw or 4 paws?”
They said that a 2 paw declaw/neuter is $520 and a 4 paw declaw/neuter is $605.
They said that Dr Kristie Ponce does their declaws with a laser. Researcher asked if she does them regularly and the employee said yes. Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term and they said yes. Researcher asked if she does around one declaw a week and the employee said it depends, sometimes she does two and sometimes none.
The employee said they aren’t taking in new clients.
No declaw clinics near Marshfield, WI.
11) Paw Health Network. Kronenwetter, WI
They don’t declaw cats. They said that a declaw not considered good for a cat and can often lead to a number of different complications in their personality and in their paws.
12) Badger Animal Clinic. Granton, WI.
They said that they do not declaw cats and they don’t recommend it because it is taking off one of their joints.
13) Kronenwetter Veterinary Clinic. Mosinee, WI.
They don’t do declaws. They said that they find it inhumane.
14) Mosinee Veterinary Clinic. Mosinee, WI
They don’t do declaws anymore. They said that they find it inhumane. It’s taking off the first digit of their toes and it’s an amputation they said.
Random declawing clinics in Wisconsin.
Parkland Plaza Veterinary Clinic. New Berlin, WI.
Link to Parkland Plaza declawing coupon. https://parklandplazavet.com/coupons/
Here’s a YELP review from 201o that shows they have been putting out declawing coupons for awhile.
Researcher spoke with Dr Wyatt Butler, the declawing vet, and asked for the cost of a neuter/declaw.
Dr Butler said that a neuter/2 paw declaw is $358.75 and a 4 paw declaw/neuter is $389.75. Researcher asked him if he does declaws regularly and he said, “Yea for about 43, going on 44 years now.” He said he uses a number 12 scalpel blade and tissue glue for the declaws.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and he said, “In my experience they do quite well.” Researcher asked him if there are no issues like people say they are with a declaw and he said he hasn’t experienced that and said, “You can read all kinds of horrible things, especially if you go on the web.”
Researcher asked him if that’s not true that a declaw is bad. He said, “Not in my experience.”
Researcher asked him if he does around 1 declaw a week and he said that would be close and said, ” I think the last one I did was last Monday.”
Animal Care Hospital. Milwaukee, WI.
Link to declaw coupon on Animal Care Hospital’s website. https://www.animalcaremilwaukee.com/savings—coupons.html
Employee said that a 2 paw declaw/neuter is $550 and a 4 paw neuter/declaw is $630. They said that Dr Singh regularly performs declaws.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said yes.
They said that you can print out the $25 discount coupon that’s on their website and use it for the declaw/neuter procedures.
Town and Country Veterinary Clinic. AAHA Accredited Animal Hospital. Marinette, WI.
This AAHA hospital offers traditional and laser declawing for cats and they have this sign up in their lobby. 
Countryside Animal Hospital. Waupaca, WI.
Countryside Animal Hospital in WI was proud to announce that they carry Purina’s Yesterday’s News and that it’s a great product for declaws in this facebook post in 2016. Facebook page post
May 2021. Countryside Animal Hospital is still declawing cats and selling Purina’s Yesterday’s News for their declawed cats. A two paw declaw is $120 and a 4 paw declaw is $150. They say if your cat can get away with not being declawed on all four paws that’s best for them but if you need a four paw declaw, they will do it.
Here is a screenshot from facebook from a cat owner that had their cat declawed at Countryside Animal Hospital in January 2017. When asked if they have any complications from their declaws an employee said no. When asked about this cat’s problem from his declaw at their practice, an employee confirmed that Greydee was declawed there and said he, “was allergic to the glue.”
Cudahy Veterinary Clinic. Cudahy, WI.
Link to Cudahy Veterinary Clinic’s website with this info. https://www.cudahyvet.com/about-us/clinic-information.html
Belle City Veterinary Hospital. Racine, WI. AAHA Accredited Animal Hospital.
Researcher asked for the cost of a neuter/declaw and the employee asked, “You said 2 or 4 paw?”
2 paw declaw/neuter is $1039 and a 4 paw/neuter is $1463.
The employee said that Dr Ray does their declaws. The employee said they get a few declaws each year. Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term and the employee said yes.
Brentwood Animal Hospital. Oak Creek, WI.
Link to this info on Brentwood Animal Hospital’s website. https://brentwoodanimalhospitalwi.com/services/
Paws and Co. Spay/Neuter/Wellness Clinic. Green Bay, WI.
Link to this info on Paws and Co.’s website. http://www.pawsandcoclinic.com/surgeries-/-procedures
Greenfield Veterinary Clinic. Greenfield, WI.
Link to the declawing info on Greenfield Veterinary Clinic’s website. https://www.greenfieldpetvet.com/services/cat-declawing/
West Allis Vet Clinic. West Allis, WI
Link to the declawing info on West Allis Vet Clinic’s website. https://www.westallisvetclinic.com/laser-surgery-laser-therapy.html
Veterinary Village. Lomira, WI. vet of the year and fear free
Link to this declawing info on Veterinary Village’s website. https://www.smallanimalclinic.com/services/cats/declawing
Researcher asked for the cost of a neuter/declaw and the employee asked, “Did you want two or four?”
A 2 paw declaw/neuter is $780 and a 4 paw declaw/neuter is $830. The employee said all 6 of their vets do declaws and Dr Michelle Ahmann is the one that normally does declaws and said she does a lot of them.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term and the employee said yes, that they use a laser and said that the recovery process is easier.
Heritage Animal Hospital. Greenville and Hortonville.
Link to this declawing info on Heritage Animal Hospital’s website. https://www.heritageanimal.com/veterinary-services/
Hortonville location. This location does not declaw cats.
Greenville location. This location performs declaws.
The employee said they have several vets who do the declaws, including their owner Dr Seth Oberschlake, but they want you to research it first and think about it and they just do the front paws. The researcher asked what the research is for and the employee said, “Long lasting effects of an elective procedure to change the body functions.” They said that it severs the ligaments in their toes so they can’t open their paws normally, they tend to get arthritis and biting habits, and there are consequences to it.
The researcher asked if they do declaws regularly and the employee said, occasionally.
The researcher asked if it’s bad for a cat, why do they do them. The employee said because there’s a demand and they are worried that people would try to do things on their own and cause more harm to the cat. They a lot of states don’t allow declawing anymore.
A two paw declaw/neuter is $705 . They said that they very rarely do 4 paw declaws. A 4 paw declaw/neuter is $790.
Country Veterinary Services. Burlington, WI
Link to this info on Country Veterinary Service’s website. https://countryvetservice.com/veterinary-services/
The researcher asked if they do declaws regularly and the employee said, “Yea, we have a lot of clients that come in that choose to declaw their kitties and cats at the same time they get them neutered.”
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said, “Yea, of course every cat is different.” They said as long as they have been at the hospital, a lot of cats have been ok after the declaw.
Packerland Veterinary Center. Green Bay, WI.
Link to this info on Packerland Veterinary Center’s website. https://www.packerlandvet.com/services/surgical-services-routine/
Facebook post from 2018.
The employee asked, “Are you looking for 2 paw or 4 paw? They said that a neuter is $225 and 2 paw declaw is $610 and a 4 paw is $660.
They said that they have 4 vets who do declaws regularly.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok after a declaw and the employee said they require an exam first to make sure the cat is a good candidate for the declaw but typically yes as long as they are a good candidate they can do good. They said they are amputations of the toes so it can be very painful.
Researcher asked what a good candidate and they said they have to make sure the cat isn’t too old or overweight since sometimes it’s too hard on their feet to do a declaw. They don’t have an age limit and base it on the individual cat. They said most cats do fine long term but they try to discourage it but if you need it done, they will do it.
Brook Falls Veterinary Hospital. Menomonee Falls, WI. AAHA Accredited Animal Hospital.
Link to this info on Brook Fall’s website. https://www.brookfallsveterinary.com/services/cats
The employee said that they can’t give out an estimate but that they perform declaws. The employee said they have 8 vets and they all perform declaws. The employee said that declaws are a regular procedure.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said, “From what I know, yes.”
Valders Veterinary Clinic. Valders, WI.
This is a no declaw clinic.
UPDATE. August 14, 2023. Employee at Valders Veterinary Clinic said that their doctor decided to stop performing declawing a couple days ago and they are going to remove it from their website.
Researcher asked if it’s bad for a cat and they employee said yes, it’s like cutting off the cat’s first knuckle.
From a facebook post in 2021.
Also the WebMD story that they are referring their clients to says to NOT declaw your cat. WebMD story link.
http://www.valdersveterinaryclinic.com/services/surgical-procedures/