Story published in April 2021 and updated in 2023 and 2025.
PetVet Care Centers has over 450 General, Specialty, Emergency, and Equine hospitals. PetVet Care Centers Website
Their website says, “Passionate Care for the Pets We Love.”
Many PetVet Care Centers perform declaws.
Please sign our petition to PetVet Care Centers. (No need to donate to change.org to sign it and if you don’t want the follow-up emails then click on unsubscribe.) PetVet Petition
Many PetVet Care Centers deceive the public about declawing and when asked if declawing is ok for a cat long term, they say yes. Some even recommend a two paw declaw and say that it’s the 4 paw declaw that causes behavioral issues.
Some say that their declaws are quick and easy.
Some say they do declaws all the time.
Petvet says this on their website, “Each PetVet hospital is an integral part of their local community, with a team of professionals dedicated to offering you and your pet the finest care in veterinary medicine today.”
PetVet Care Centers is owned by KKR.com.
KKR uses the words integrity, values, responsibility, excellence, and accountability on their website. Yet they own a company that allows their animal hospitals to torture and harm innocent cats from this inhumane and cruel amputation procedure. (declawing.) Please send a polite note to KKR and ask them if they will put the welfare of innocent cats over money and ask PetVet Care Centers to ban declawing. media@kkr.com and investor-relations@kkr.com
Please ask PetVet Care Centers if they consider declawing to be the finest care in veterinary medicine. Here’s their facebook page. PetVet Care Centers Facebook Page
Let us know if you get a reply. citythekitty@gmail.com
PetVet Care Centers finally sent us their official declawing position in February of 2025.
“As a veterinary organization committed to medical excellence, PetVet Care Centers strongly discourages the declawing (onychectomy) of cats. We support the stance of the AVMA, as well as the AAFP, that declawing should be avoided and alternative methods should always be explored. We believe that all veterinarians should educate their clients on normal feline behavior and less invasive methods should always be encouraged. PVCC does not believe in mandating veterinarians on how to practice medicine, but we do believe in ethical and educated medical practice, minimizing unnecessary pain and suffering in our patients, and an emphasis on progressive medicine.”
Here’s part of our reply to their marketing person about their declawing position, “If PetVet Care Centers believes in ethical practice then there’s no way to allow declawing in your clinics. You are not regulating veterinary medicine by disallowing declawing because this unnecessary and inhumane toe bone amputation procedure is outside the scope of therapeutic medicine. It actually harms a cat’s health and well being. By banning declawing, you are preventing animal cruelty, and that is a tenet that is consistent with your goal of providing ethical veterinary medicine and not causing unnecessary pain and suffering.”
The Chief Medical Officer is Dr Mariana Crumley. Their CEO is Gino Volpacchio. https://www.petvetcarecenters.com/site/about-leadership-team
In 2021 we started looking into how some PetVet Care Centers address declawing. (We updated this story in 2022 and 2025.)
Our researchers made a short phone call to some of them and asked how much they charge for a declaw, if they do them regularly, and if declawing is ok long term for a cat.
We stopped after 11 of them because it was clear that declawing is performed in most PetVet Care Centers. Only 3 of the 11 don’t perform this inhumane amputation procedure.
We have withheld the names of employees for fear that they might suffer a backlash for their honest answers.
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2025
Dix Animal Hospital in Lincoln Park, MI https://www.dixah.com/site/veterinarians-lincoln-park
Researcher asked for the cost of a neuter/declaw and the employee asked, “Did you want to do the front 2 paws or all four?” They said a neuter/2 paw declaw is $650 and a neuter/4 paw declaw is around $670.
They said that all four of their vets can perform the declaws and they do the declaws the old fashioned way by “pulling them out.”
Researcher asked if they perform declaws regularly and the employee said, “Oh yea, for many years.”
Researcher asked if the cats ok long term after a declaw and the employee said that as long as they keep the cone on and follow instructions everything should go well.
They said that you can just make the appointment for the procedures and can talk to the doctor the day of the surgeries.
2021.
Researcher asked for the cost of a declaw and the employee asked, “Were you looking to do a 2 paw or 4 paw?”
A 4 paw declaw/spay is $400. Researcher asked if there are any problems with a declaw. Employee said yes, with a 4 paw declaw there could be behavioral issues. Employee said they recommend a two paw declaw.
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link to this info. https://www.southgateanimalhosp.com/site/veterinary-surgery-southgate
Southgate Animal hospital, Southgate, MI
The employee said that a neuter/2 paw declaw is around $700-$800. They said that a 4 paw declaw is closer to $900-$1000. They said that their declawing vets are Dr Eileen Cook and Dr Keith Cook and you have to get an exam to get an exact estimate. Researcher asked if they performs declaws regularly and the employee said, “Oh yea.”
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee laughed and said, “I’m pretty sure, they keep coming back” and kept laughing. (The employee meant that the cats keep coming back for routine visits like vaccines and flea prevention.) Researcher asked if the laser is better for the declaw and they said it seems to be and it’s a quicker healing time.
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Westgate Veterinary Hospital, Enterprise, AL
https://www.westgatevet.com/site/veterinarians-enterprise
The researcher asked for the cost of a neuter/declaw and the employee asked, “Do you want all four paws declawed on the cat or just the front ones or the back ones?”
A front paw declaw is $353.25 and a four paw declaw is $469. They said that a neuter is $145. They said that their declawing vet is Dr Sayre.
Researcher asked if she does the declaws regularly and the employee said yes.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said, “They normally are, yes. You just have to keep an eye on them after a declaw.” They said you need a consultation first to see if your cat is good to go for the surgery.
Snider Veterinary Services. Clinton Township, MI https://www.sniderveterinaryservices.com/site/veterinarians-clinton
The employee said that a neuter/ laser declaw starts at $714 but is closer to $900 for everything included. They said that Dr Debbie Hamilton and Dr Emma Snider are their declawing vets. They said that a neuter/4 paw declaw is closer to $1000.
Researcher asked if they perform declaws regularly and the employee said yes.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said, “I mean, we are removing the first digit of their toes but yea. They get pain medication and they are under anesthesia.”
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Marcello Veterinary Hospital. Houma, LA
https://www.marcellovethospital.com/site/veterinarians-houma-raceland
Researcher asked for the cost of a neuter/declaw and the employee asked, “So are you looking at doing the front two or all four? They said that a neuter is around $125 and a 4 paw declaw is $450. The employee said that Dr Kevin Showalter does their declaws and the cats have to stay two nights.
Researcher asked if they perform declaws regularly and the employee said yes.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said, “We don’t have any issues.”
Saline County Animal Clinic. Benton, AR
https://www.scacvetstreet.com/site/veterinarians-benton
The employee said they aren’t taking in new clients right now but said that they perform declaws and a 2 paw declaw/neuter is $411.50 and a 4 paw declaw/neuter $470. Researcher asked if they perform declaws regularly and the employee said yes.
They referred the researcher to Dr Susan Belt at Reynolds Road Animal Clinic in Bryant, AR for the neuter/declaw and said she uses a laser for the declaw and provided the number to her practice.
Reynolds Road Animal Clinic is not a PetVet Care Center.
https://www.reynoldsroadanimalclinic.com/our-team
The employee said that they cannot give out an estimate and you need an exam first. They said that their declawing vet is Dr Susan Belt. Researcher asked if she uses a laser and the employee said not for the surgery and said it’s like an amputation of the first joint. Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said, “Yes, she does her own and she’s done all of mine for 20 years.”
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Pekin Veterinary Clinic. Pekin, IL
https://pekinanimalhospital.com/our-doctors/
The employee said they can’t give out an estimate and you need an appointment first since the declaws are case by case “based on what the actual paws look like”, the age of the cat and other factors. They said that they have a vet, Dr Nicole Johnson who does their declaws. After the examination Dr Johnson will determine if she will do the declaw.
2021. The employee said that a declaw/spay is $463- $570. They said they use laser for the declaws. Researcher asked if a declaw is ok for a cat long term and the employee said yes, it should be.
Sawtooth Animal Center. Bellvue, ID
https://www.sawtoothanimalcenter.com/site/home
They said they don’t declaw cats because their doctors feel it is unethical and said it causes problems with their feet.
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All Creatures Veterinary Hospital, New Iberia, LA.
Jan. 2023
They say this on their website, “We prioritize your pet’s long-term health by focusing on preventive services.”
In January 2023 they say on their website that declawing is a standard but serious procedure where a cat’s toe bones and claws are amputated and say they routinely perform declaws. PetVet Care Centers All Creatures Veterinary Hospitals declaw information
April 2021.
Researcher asked for the cost of a declaw and the employee asked,“Front two or all four?”
A spay/4 paw declaw is $334.50. Employee said that they have 5 doctors who do declaws regularly. Researcher asked if declawing is ok for a cat long term and they said yes and said, “in a couple weeks everybody is fine.”
Creature Comforts Veterinary Hospital, Ankeny, IA
2021.
A 2 paw declaw is $402-$566. They say that the doctors try not to do declaws and try to talk people out of them.
The information below is from Creature Comforts website and facebook page.
* Green Trails Animal Clinic, Lisle, IL.
They said that they don’t declaw. They said declawing is bad for cats, it changes the way they walk and the declawed cats develop arthritis. They referred our researcher to the PawProject.org.
Angel Animal Hospital, Farmington Hill, MI.
2025. Facebook post says that they stopped declawing in January 2024.
2021
Researcher asked for the cost of a declaw and the employee asked, “Would you like to declaw all four paws or just two?”
A 4 paw declaw/spay is $631.52. Researcher asked if declawing is ok for a cat long term and the employee said, “Absolutely.”
Employee said Dr Singh does the declaws and “he does them all the time.”
Michigan Avenue Animal Hospital, Ypsilanti, MI
2025 February
The employee said that they do not perform declaws.
2021
Researcher asked for the cost of a declaw and the employee asked, “Are you doing two or 4 paw?”
Employee said that a spay/4 paw declaw is $500. They said that Dr Dhaliwal does declaws regularly, around 1 or 2 every couple weeks. Researcher asked if declawing is ok for a cat long term and the employee said yes and that they are quick and easy.
Monroe Veterinary Clinic, Monroe, MI
2021. A two paw declaw is $92.75 and a 4 paw declaw is $151.25. Employee said that the heavier the cat, the harder it is on them. They said that they did their cat’s declaw when the cat was 3 months old. They said the longer you wait, the harder it is on the cat. When asked if they do declaws regularly, the employee said, “We do them all the time.”
Island Pet Hospital, Las Vegas, NV
Researcher asked for the cost of a declaw and the employee asked, “Are you talking about 2 or all 4?”
A 4 paw declaw/spay is $682 they said they have packages for a declaw and a spay which make it cheaper. They said that all their vets do declaws and they use a laser which is less painful.
* New Hope Animal Hospital, New Hope, MN
Employee said they do not do declaws and that most states have outlawed it, it’s like cutting off the tips of fingers, it’s inhumane, and there are other alternatives.
Please join us and help us protect innocent cats from this cruelty and harm. www.citythekitty.org