Altering your Pets (getting duclaws removed, cropping tail, ears, etc) Yay, or Nay?

[Halyon]

So you'd rather kill your cat than give it some pain killers? I'd like to have a cat that I know won't claw the shit out of someone.

The equivalent is removing the outer parts of your fingers. Imagine if you were confined to 4 legs and your fingers/toes were removed. That's what it does. It's utter animal abuse. 'Just give it pain killers' isn't enough. Their feet and legs will start to atrophy because it can't walk or use it's muscles properly, the pain can potentially be so overwhelming that pain killers won't take it all, it can cause further damage and infenction that can lead to death, etc.

Treat your cat properly and teach it not to claw instead of mutilating it for life.

[Dys]

Depends on the purpose of the animal.

Family pet? Nay unless something specific was desired beyond a normal amount. Like, Sheila is going to throw a fit and slip in to depression if her new dog doesn't get cropped ears. Who's Sheila? Doesn't matter. Made her up for the example. She's dead now btw, your curiosity made me kill her.
Show pet? Fuck yeah, to the nine, we got money to win and litters to sire.
Service pet? If the service deemed it necessary, yes. I don't think it'd be a good idea to have a full length tail on a medium+ sized emotional support pet for a person in a wheelchair.
Trophy pet? Sure, why not, it's meant to be a display of status, money and power anyway.

[nyc81991]

Crazy ass people treating animals like toy dolls because they look "cute"...

[Polyxo]

I think big St Bernards are really fun, but I hate the slobberyness. So you know what I did? Not get one and remove its salivary glands. I decided it was a bad idea to get a St Bernard.

[Mormolyce]

These procedures all sound fucking terrible to me.

Regarding declawing, if you buy some pet nail clippers and carefully trim the tips off your cat's claws every month or so you don't have to worry about their sharp claws. Just watch a video or something - their claws have pink quick closer to the base, just like human nails. Don't cut that, just the curved pointy tips. It's really easy.

I imagine you could do the same for dogs? Though their claws aren't usually a problem anyway.

[Dezerte]

A dog cannot be a good boy/girl if they have no tail. This is unthinkable.

[Templar 331]

The equivalent is removing the outer parts of your fingers. Imagine if you were confined to 4 legs and your fingers/toes were removed. That's what it does. It's utter animal abuse. 'Just give it pain killers' isn't enough. Their feet and legs will start to atrophy because it can't walk or use it's muscles properly, the pain can potentially be so overwhelming that pain killers won't take it all,

Funny how your link doesn't even list that as a possible outcome. Maybe because it isn't one?

I'll also take the word of a veterinary surgeon.

http://yorkvilleanimalhospital.ca/su...ces/declawing/

it can cause further damage and infenction that can lead to death, etc.

Any surgery has the potential for infection.

- - - Updated - - -

If you subject your pet to procedure that requires it to take fucking pain medication for the rest of it's life because you can't give it something else to scratch, you don't deserve to own a pet.

By all means, show me where I said or implied giving it pain medication the rest of it's life.

[A Chozo]

Nah, it costs money and it is literally useless*, so... no.

*Goats. Lots of goats get their horns removed in a painful proccess, so that they don't get their heads stuck and suffocate, and so that they don't kill each other. Also, some claim that they look better, because sometimes the horns are very very big. But this is a very specific case. Cropping the tail of a poor mini-dog because your madame said so isn't very logic.

[A dot Ham]

Are you in favor of altering your pets to make them look better? IE: some dog breeds look much better when they have their tails cropped, and ears cropped, which gives them the classic look. For example:

Miniature Schnauzer:



This is the classic look for miniature schnauzers, and this one has its ears cropped (so they stay up straight), as well as its tail cropped.

I will add a general poll to see the results of the community's opinions.

Most people don't even know what you're talking about... they think their pet was just born that way...

If this poll was a reflection of reality... that wouldn't be the "ideal" pic of Schnauzer now would it?


It would also be interesting to then see how many people are in favor of circumcision and/or ear piecing of babies.

[Whiteboard]

I have and will continue to get the hind dewclaws removed on any dog where they're only hanging there loosely by skin, which is often the case. The one time I did not, they tore off later and it was a bloody and traumatizing ride to the emergency vet. If the dewclaw is there firmly with bone, which rarely but sometimes happens, it would be left alone.

For those who advocate declawing a cat, there's a thing called 'softpaws' that prevents both mutilating your pet and destruction of furniture.

[Feronar]

Neutering / spaying is okay.

Declawing, on the other hand, should only be done if medically necessary, i.e. if the claw is severely infected or injured.

[Halyon]

Funny how your link doesn't even list that as a possible outcome. Maybe because it isn't one?

I'll also take the word of a veterinary surgeon.

http://yorkvilleanimalhospital.ca/su...ces/declawing/

https://www.avma.org/KB/Resources/Li...awing_bgnd.pdf
https://www.paws.org/library/cats/be...ith-declawing/ Except it is.

[Trassk]

No because I'm not a sadist who masks animal cruelty as 'making them better'

[Fencers]

I am okay with cosmetic alterations to pets. These animals are only 'pets' because mankind has manipulated and dominated them utterly. Not something I get worked up about one way or another. However, also not something I run out to do with my own pets.

I am more upset by chronic, willful and/or malicious harm and neglect directed toward animals. Like that guy who beat his dog to death for eating the food he left on the coffee table supposedly.

[AlphaOut]

Neuter / spay is the most I'll ever do. It's almost a must where I live.

[King Shark]

Medical emergency reasons only. Have not had to do so to date.

[NoRest4Wicked]

I won't get a cat declawed, but I will adopt declawed cats above others.

[announced]

declawing cats is a very cruel thing to do.

i am totally against altering pets.

[Rudkobing]

Nessie and my Irish wolf Hound have all their teeth and claws.

[Rendark]

I wish there was a way to declaw a cat that wasn't cruel. My cat doesn't know how to take care of hers so they get over grown a lot and cutting a cats claws is a two man job.