“The discomfort level is no more in a neuter than it is in a declaw that is done properly.”- NJVMA SpokesVet Dr Mike Yurkus
When cats start walking on their balls then we will start believing the NJVMA’s spokesvet Dr Yurkus and his animal hospital that declawing isn’t more painful than neutering.
Meanwhile, the American Association of Feline Practitioners’ policy on declawing states:
“Physically, regardless of the method used, onychectomy causes a higher level of pain than spays and neuters. Patients may experience both adaptive and maladaptive pain; in addition to inflammatory pain, there is the potential to develop long-term neuropathic or central pain if the pain is inadequately managed during the perioperative and healing periods.” [AAFP Policy Statement on Declawing, 2007.]
AVMA’s Credibility in Crisis: Leaders With Financial Ties to Declawing Shape Policy, Prompting Calls to Rename It the “American Veterinary Money Association”
Story published on October 21, 2025. (Petition to the AVMA. AVMA Petition Update January 2026. In a sharp January 2026 Letter to the Editor in the Journal of Small Animal Practice, experts from the World Small Animal Veterinary Association Pain Committee condemn the American Veterinary Medical Association’s (AVMA) House of Delegates for refusing to […]
AAHA’s Ethical Collapse: Knows Declawing Is Wrong but Delays Ban for Member Support, Prioritizing Profits
LAKEWOOD, Colo. (Sept. 29, 2025) — The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), claims to be the gold standard in veterinary excellence, is under fire for refusing to ban the cruel and outdated practice of cat declawing—unless its member hospitals and veterinarians, many of which still perform and profit from the procedure, support the ban. […]
How Dr Andy Roark Played The Victim Instead of Helping The Welfare of Cats.
In one sentence he said he was, “impressed by my passion and dedication”, and that I’m someone who is working hard to help pets and do good in the world. He said that he hopes I see similar characteristics in him.
And in the next sentence he said he didn’t feel inspired but he felt attacked.
Hmmmm. How did I attack him?
I simply asked some questions in a private email as to why so many employees at his practice that is a AAHA, AAFP Cat Friendly hospital were saying that they are a high volume declawing practice and that cat owners could book a declaw surgery with him personally.
The Rebuttal of the AVMA’s Declawing Position. Is This The Data The ASPCA Is Using To NOT Want Declawing Banned?
The Point by Point Rebuttal to the AVMA’s Declawing Position Statement by Dr Jean Hofve Who is An Expert in this Issue.
A Declawing Horror Story at a Standard of Excellence AAHA Accredited Animal Hospital.
This is a horrific story about 3 kitties named Teeger, Abby, and Ryder, whose lives have been tragically ruined because of being declawed.
Near Pain Free Cat Declaw By An 18 yr AVMA Member Veterinarian in Pennsylvania
Near Pain Free Cat Declaw By An 18 yr AVMA Member Veterinarian. This is another example of why declawing needs to be banned.
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.)
The Organizations That Allow Declawing
Here are many examples of those in the veterinary profession and some outside of it, who could truly help to end the inhumane procedure of declawing, but aren’t.
The Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association Is Trying To Keep Animal Cruelty (Declawing) Legal.
The Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association wrote in their Sept. 1, 2023 newsletter, “PVMA is involved in working behind the scenes to prevent a declaw ban from moving in the legislature. This is a tricky issue, but it would be bad precedent to have the state government decide what procedures we cannot perform on our clients animals.”
The Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association doesn’t want to regulate their veterinarians even when it comes to this animal cruelty.