Why Does AAHA.org Lie About Declawing, Put Profits Over The Welfare of Cats, And Allow Declawing In Their Animal Hospitals?

The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) updated their declawing position statement in June 2021.
They say they strongly oppose declawing, explaining that declawing is no longer a reasonable or supported procedure… But then they say if veterinarians are going to declaw, they should use pain meds before, during, and after.
The American Animal Hospital Association’s (AAHA) Blood Money: Declawed Cats Are the Victims, Their Abusers Are the Winners

On August 12, 2025, AAHA announced their 4 finalists for AAHA’s 2025 Practice of the Year.
3 of them declaw cats. One of them even advertises their laser declawing on their website and minimizes the long term suffering and risks to the cat’s health and well being. https://www.bluespringsanimalhospital.com/hospital/surgery
A Legacy of Cruelty: Reimann Family’s Veterinary Company, NVA, Allows Declawing Despite Calling It Inhumane.

In 2019, a spokesman for the billionaire Reimann family—whose ancestors profited under the Nazi regime—said, “The whole truth must be put on the table.”
Here’s a truth still hidden: The Reimanns built part of their immense fortune on human suffering, and today, they allow cat suffering to continue.
Through their firm JAB Holding Co., they own NVA, the largest U.S. network of vet hospitals—over 1,400 clinics—many of which still perform declawing, a cruel amputation procedure their own Medical Board has called “inhumane.”
The cruelty didn’t stop with history. It just changed form.
‘Monumental Moment’ or Hollow Hype? AAHA Fails to Ban Declawing, Trails Behind Industry Leaders

LAKEWOOD, Colo., July 25, 2025 — The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) introduced “groundbreaking new Standards of Accreditation” calling them a “historic milestone” in elevating veterinary care in their press release. Yet, AAHA’s new standards merely “discourages” nontherapeutic declawing, ear cropping, and devocalization, allowing their accredited hospitals to continue these practices without penalty. Critics, including […]
No Mercy for Cats: AAHA’s Failure to Stop Allowing Declawing Shows Money Matters More Than Cat Welfare

Cat mutilation and torture masquerading as the best in veterinary medicine: Many of AAHA’s Standard of Excellence Accredited Animal Hospitals declaw cats. AAHA allows their accredited animal hospitals to declaw cats for profit, advertise their declawing services, and lie about it to their clients and to the public. They also allow their veterinarians to submit […]
AAHA’s Declaw Communications Toolkit To Help Their Declawing Hospitals

Remember, declawing is a $900,000 – $1,200,000,000/year business. That’s a lot of clams.
So here’s the hypocrisy in a nutshell.
AAHA has strict guidelines for compliance.
AAHA has a strong anti-declaw position.
Get ready for the big BUT…
But, they openly tell their 3500 members who pay $1070 for membership, that they don’t have to follow the AAHA declaw position. (They aren’t however, ever lax on the dentals.)
PetVet Care Centers Says They Believe In Ethical Medical Practice & Minimizing Unnecessary Pain and Suffering in Their Patients But They Allow Declawing

The majority of PetVet Care Centers perform declawing. In fact, most of them also offer 4 paw declaws.
It’s 2025. Why is AAHA.org Still Allowing Declawing In Their Accredited Animal Hospitals?

UPDATED FEB. 2025. Story published on April 30, 2024. Why is AAHA.org still putting profits over the welfare of cats by allowing declawing in their hospitals? Please sign our petition to AAHA.org. We are almost at 50,000 signatures. AAHA Petition Are the leaders of AAHA.org confused? If you know any of them, please ask them […]
Will AAHA’s 2024 Practice of the Year Be Another Declawing Animal Hospital?

AAHA’s 2024 Practice of the Year Contest is here! Let’s vote for the no-declaw animal hospitals! There are 20 finalists. Three of them perform declawing.
In 2023 there were 4 finalists for AAHA’s practice of the year. Three of them did not declaw cats. AAHA chose the declawing clinic as their 2023 Practice of the Year.
In 2024 The CVMA Once Again Tried To Keep Declawing Legal in California For Their Member Vets

Story published on April 25, 2024. On March 19, 2024 Assembly member Wendy Carrillo introduced the anti-declawing bill AB 2954 in CA. https://legiscan.com/CA/text/AB2954/id/2962679 (On April 8, 2024, Assembly member Carrillo unexpectedly pulled the bill from being heard in the committee. We sent emails and called Carrillo’s office and her Legislative Director Natalee Vicencia sent an […]