HOUSE BILL NO. 4883
June 28, 2023, Introduced by Reps. Wilson, Rheingans, Andrews, Churches, Tsernoglou, Price,
Edwards, McKinney and Byrnes and referred to the Committee on Agriculture.
A bill to prohibit certain medical procedures for declawing a
cat; and to prescribe civil sanctions.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
1 Sec. 1. As used in this act:
2 (a) "Cat" means a domestic cat of the species Felis catus or a
3 hybrid of that species. Cat includes, but is not limited to, a
4 savannah cat, Serengeti cat, Maine coon, Bengal cat, or chausie.
5 (b) "Therapeutic purpose" means a physical medical condition
6 of a cat, including, but not limited to, an existing or recurring
7 illness, infection, disease, injury, or abnormal condition in the
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1 claw of a cat that compromises the cat's health. Therapeutic
2 purpose does not include a cosmetic or aesthetic reason or reason
3 of convenience in keeping or handling a cat.
4 Sec. 3. (1) An individual shall not perform by any means an
5 onychectomy, a partial or complete phalangectomy, or tendonectomy
6 procedure, or any other surgical procedure that prevents normal
7 functioning of the claws, toes, or paws, on a cat, unless the
8 procedure is necessary to address a therapeutic purpose.
9 (2) An individual who violates this section is responsible for
10 a civil fine as follows:
11 (a) For a first violation, a civil fine of not more than
12 $2,500.00.
13 (b) For a second or subsequent violation, a civil fine of not
14 more than $5,000.00.
15 (3) A violation of this section may be prosecuted by the
16 prosecutor of the county in which the violation occurred, or by the
17 attorney general.
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