As the Pied Piper of prog rock he led fans on a path of discovery to a new musical sound, and today cat enthusiasts are singing the praises of former Jethro Tull frontman and flautist Ian Anderson as he helps efforts to lead the public on a mission of mercy for our pals with paws.
A cat lover who has devoted time to the study and conservation of the world’s small wildcats, the rock icon has voiced his concern for domesticated cats whose wellbeing has been put in danger by the cruel practice of declawing. A procedure common only in Canada and America, declawing is the surgical amputation of a cat’s toes at the first knuckle. Approximately 25 percent of all cats in the United States have been subjected to this form of mutilation.
“We humans have 10 finger nails. Pulling nails was (and still is) a popular form of torture. If a cat is four-pawed declawed,” Anderson stated “that is 18 claws compared to 10 human nails -1.8 times the pain.”
If you can afford a cat, you can afford a scratching post. Sprays and other humane scratching deterrents are also available.” Driving home the message, the entertainer declared, “Declawing? Don’t even think about it – don’t you dare.”
The Paw Project, a non-profit striving to stop the practice of declawing, has been working with New York Assemblywoman Linda B. Rosenthal to put an end to the practice in New York. Rosenthal and the Paw Project, joining forces with The Humane Society of the United States, the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association and more than 130 licensed New York state veterinarians, are currently working on an anti-declawing bill, which would be the first state-wide ban on the practice.
Speaking about the rock star’s support, Assemblywoman Rosenthal remarked: “Ian Anderson and Jethro Tull gave us music that a generation lived by. It’s amazing and gratifying to see Anderson working to protect the lives of cats by helping to ban declawing in New York State. As an animal lover and defender, he understands that anyone who would declaw a cat must be ‘thick as a brick.'”
Ian Anderson is not the only rock star to amp up efforts to stop the cruel practice of declawing in the state of New York. During Black Sabbath’s “The End” farewell tour, bassist Terence “Geezer” Butler also showed his support for the NYS Declaw Ban, which would make New York the first state in the nation to defend a cat’s first line of defense. Speaking out for those who are unable to speak for themselves, Butler stated:
“My wife and I have many rescued cats and we have never dreamed of putting them through an elective, convenience surgery such as declawing. Can you imagine having your fingers chopped off at the last bone? That is what the equivalent is for cats who are declawed.”
Photo Credit: The Paw Project
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