Calif. Town May Ban Cosmetic Pet Surgery

[xultar]

Calif. Town May Ban Cosmetic Pet Surgery

WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. - Leaders in this tiny city known for its progressive views are seeking to ban cosmetic surgery — for pets.

West Hollywood's mayor plans to introduce a motion Monday that would prohibit ear cropping, tail docking, debarking, defanging and other surgical procedures performed on animals for "noncurative" reasons.

Such procedures, supporters say, hurt the animals to satisfy their owners' tastes. Already law in many European countries, the ban would be the first of its kind in the United States, said Mayor John Duran.

It's not the first time this 2-square-mile city surrounded by Los Angeles and Beverly Hills championed animal rights.


It already has laws forbidding cat declawing and designating its residents as pet guardians rather than pet owners. Last year, the city started regulating pet-grooming companies by mandating that animals have fresh water and local businesses report injuries related to grooming within 24 hours.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=8&u=/ap/20050208/ap_on_fe_st/pet_surgery

[luzdeluna]

1. good for West Hollywood

it's barbaric. Let these unfeeling pet owners cut their own ears off if they think it looks so great.

ldl

[ernstbass]

2. I wish they would ban it nationwide

[LDS Jock]

3. well done!!

:toast: if only more places would follow their lead

[mopinko]

4. i think vets

should just charge $1-2,000 dollars to do this shit. most people won't do it then, and the vets can fleece some rich nuts.
i agree with most of this, but i support the docking of tails. especially on big, short haired dogs. those tails can cause some pain and damage.
they devoice parrots, also, and it is so sick. you should have to take an iq test to buy a parrot. if your iq is not higher than theirs, no bird for you.

[Stepup2]

5. Good for them.

I am on the fence about declawing thou. People relinquish fewer cats to shelters for shredding furniture etc. Tough call in my mind.

The tail docking and ears procedures are horrible, not that declawing isn't, but these are truly just cosmetic.

Bottom line to me seems if you don't like/want to deal with animals as they are don't get them.

Too bad pet breeding has become such a cottage industry. The shelters in my area are always full.