Bill > AB867

This bill amends California's veterinary medicine laws to specifically regulate feline declawing procedures, which include tendonectomy, onychectomy, and other surgical claw removal techniques. The bill requires that these procedures can only be performed for a "therapeutic purpose," which is defined as a medically necessary procedure to address an existing or recurring infection, disease, injury, or abnormal condition in the cat's claws, nail bed, or toe bone that genuinely threatens the cat's health. The bill explicitly excludes cosmetic or aesthetic reasons, or procedures intended to make the cat more convenient to keep or handle, as valid justifications for these surgeries. Veterinarians who perform these procedures for non-therapeutic reasons can have their professional licenses denied, revoked, suspended, or be subject to fines. The legislation also specifies that these restrictions apply to all veterinarians, including those treating their own animals, and allows local ordinances adopted before January 1, 2026, that limit such procedures to remain in effect. Importantly, the bill does not prohibit non-surgical nail trimming or the application of scratching mitigation solutions, preserving veterinarians' ability to help cat owners manage scratching behaviors through alternative means.

Budget and Finance, Business and Industry

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB867