Currently in the midst of Black Sabbath’s farewell tour “The End,” bassist Terence “Geezer” Butler is amping up efforts to put an end to the cruel practice of declawing cats in New York.
A self-described “crazy cat person,” Butler recently revealed his support for the NYS Declaw Ban, which would make The Empire State the first state in the country to defend a cats’ first line of defense in such a manner. The bill has been presented to lawmakers by The Humane Society of the United States.
Before stepping on stage for his band’s final gig at Madison Square Garden, Geezer Butler helped to set the stage for a better tomorrow for our feline friends by using his voice for those who cannot speak for themselves:
“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.”
Also known as onychectomy, declawing means the amputation of a feline’s end toe bones in order to remove the cat’s claws. A highly controversial procedure which is usually performed to prevent cats from scratching on furniture and/or people, the painful procedure can cause both physical and psychological damage to a cat. A cat deprived of his claws may have difficulty walking, may develop an infection, and may suffer from nerve damage and bone spurs, while the fear of losing their form of protection may result in incidents of biting.
Continuing his discussion on cat declawing, the heavy metal icon with a heavy heart due to the inhumanity of declawing stated:
“A surge of veterinarians throughout New York support legislation to put declawing in the trash bin of history. I urge lawmakers to remain steadfast in those characteristics I admire most about New Yorkers and support the bill to ban the declawing of cats.”
The Humane Society of the United States offers several humane options to the problem of cat scratching, such as regular toenail trims, the use of scratching posts, the implementation of removable plastic caps on a cat’s claws, and adhering tape made especially to deter a pet’s scratching on household items.
Photo Credit: Pixabay
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