HB 1716 — An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in riot, disorderly conduct and related offenses, providing for the prohibition on declawing cats.

PRINTER'S NO.     2112

                      THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                          HOUSE BILL
                          No. 1716
                                                 Session of
                                                   2025

     INTRODUCED BY HANBIDGE, MALAGARI, FIEDLER, HOHENSTEIN, HILL-
        EVANS, McNEILL, CERRATO, SANCHEZ, GIRAL, KHAN, SCHLOSSBERG,
        DALEY, BENHAM, STEELE, GUENST, SHUSTERMAN, BRENNAN, GILLEN,
        CIRESI AND GREEN, JULY 10, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, JULY 10, 2025


                                      AN ACT
 1   Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania
 2      Consolidated Statutes, in riot, disorderly conduct and
 3      related offenses, further providing for the offense of animal
 4      mutilation and related offenses.
 5      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 6   hereby enacts as follows:
 7      Section 1.     Section 5542 of Title 18 of the Pennsylvania
 8   Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding a subsection to read:
 9   § 5542.    Animal mutilation and related offenses.
10      * * *
11      (e.1)    Declawing of cats.--
12             (1)   A person commits an offense under section 5533 if
13      the person performs an onychectomy, a declawing, partial
14      digital amputation, phalangectomy or tendonectomy procedure
15      by any means unless the procedure is deemed necessary for a
16      therapeutic purpose by a licensed doctor of veterinary
17      medicine. The offense under this subsection shall include any
18      procedure to alter a cat's toes, claws or paws to prevent the
 1    normal functioning of the cat's toes, claws or paws, but
 2    shall not include the trimming of a nonviable claw husk or
 3    placing a nonpermanent nail cap on a cat.
 4        (2)   Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (1), if
 5    a licensed veterinarian determines that a phalangectomy
 6    procedure is necessary for a therapeutic purpose, the
 7    licensed veterinarian, on or before 10 business days after
 8    performing the procedure, shall file a written statement with
 9    the animal control agency with jurisdiction over the area in
10    which the procedure was performed stating the purpose for the
11    phalangectomy, onychectomy, partial digital amputation or
12    tendonectomy procedure, including a laboratory pathology
13    report confirming the pathology, identifying information of
14    the cat, including its microchip number if applicable, age,
15    gender, markings and a photo of the face and current address
16    and telephone number of the owner or keeper of the cat. The
17    licensed veterinarian shall provide a copy of the written
18    statement to the owner or keeper of the cat.
19        (3)   As used in this subsection, the following words and
20    phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
21    paragraph unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
22        "Onychectomy."    A procedure in which a portion of the paw
23    of a cat is amputated or removed or disables a claw,
24    including procedures commonly referred to as declawing.
25        "Partial digital amputation."   A procedure for the
26    excision of some or all of one or more of the phalanges of
27    the paw of a cat.
28        "Phalangectomy."   A procedure for the excision of one or
29    more of the phalanges of the paw of a cat.
30        "Tendonectomy."    A procedure in which the tendons to the

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 1    limbs, paws or toes of a cat are cut or modified so that the
 2    cat's claws cannot function normally.
 3           "Therapeutic purpose."    A purpose necessary to address
 4    the physical medical condition of the cat, such as an
 5    existing or recurring physical illness, infection, disease,
 6    injury or abnormal condition in a claw that compromises the
 7    cat's health. The term does not mean cosmetic or aesthetic
 8    reasons or reasons of convenience in keeping or handling the
 9    cat.
10    * * *
11    Section 2.    This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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