Bill > HB5209

This bill prohibits veterinary professionals (referred to as "licensees") from performing certain surgical procedures on cats that involve removing or altering their claws, unless the procedure is medically necessary to address a specific therapeutic purpose. The prohibited procedures include onychectomy (declawing), partial or complete phalangectomy (removing parts of toe bones), tendonectomy (cutting tendons), and any other surgical intervention that prevents normal claw, toe, or paw functioning. The bill defines "cat" broadly to include domestic cats and various hybrid breeds like Savannah, Bengal, and Maine Coon cats. A "therapeutic purpose" is specifically defined as addressing a genuine physical medical condition that compromises the cat's health, explicitly excluding cosmetic, aesthetic, or convenience-related reasons for the procedure. By adding this section to Michigan's Public Health Code, the bill aims to protect cats from elective surgical procedures that can cause pain and potentially impair their natural physical capabilities.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2025-HB-5209