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Animal Welfare - Declawing Cats - Prohibited Acts (SB0067)

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Summary

Maryland Senate Bill 0067, sponsored by Senator Kagan, was enacted as Chapter 179 during the 2022 Regular Session. The law prohibits certain acts related to declawing cats under the state's animal welfare framework. The bill received gubernatorial approval and establishes violations for veterinary or animal welfare-related entities that perform cat declawing procedures.

Published by MD General Assembly on mgaleg.maryland.gov . Detected, standardized, and enriched by GovPing. Review our methodology and editorial standards .

What changed

Maryland enacted SB0067 as Chapter 179, establishing new prohibited acts related to cat declawing under state animal welfare law. The legislation was sponsored by Senator Kagan and received gubernatorial approval.\n\nVeterinarians, veterinary hospitals, and animal welfare organizations in Maryland must immediately comply with the new restrictions on cat declawing. Affected parties should review current practices and patient consent procedures to ensure alignment with the prohibition.

What to do next

  1. Cease performing cat declawing procedures
  2. Advise clients on alternatives to declawing

Archived snapshot

Apr 18, 2026

GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.

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Session: 2022 Regular Session

SB0067

CH0179

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placeholder To Governor Title Animal Welfare - Declawing Cats - Prohibited Acts Sponsored by Senator Kagan Status Approved by the Governor - Chapter 179 Analysis Fiscal and Policy Note (Revised) Synopsis Prohibiting a veterinary practitioner from performing certain declawing procedures on a cat unless the procedure is necessary for a therapeutic purpose; authorizing the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners to impose certain disciplinary actions on a veterinary practitioner for willful violations of the prohibition; providing that a violation of the Act is a civil offense; and providing that a person who violates the Act is subject to a fine of up to $1,000. Committees Original: Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Opposite: Environment and Transportation Committee Testimony Witness List Details Cross-filed with: HB0022 Bill File Type: Pre-Filed Effective Date(s): October 1, 2022 History
| Legislation History |
| --- |
| Chamber Senate Calendar Date 10/05/2021 Legislative Date 10/05/2021 Action Pre-filed Proceedings |
| Chamber Senate Calendar Date 1/12/2022 Legislative Date 1/12/2022 Action First Reading Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Proceedings |
| Chamber Calendar Date Legislative Date Action Text - First - Animal Welfare - Declawing Cats - Prohibited Acts Proceedings |
| Chamber Senate Calendar Date 1/14/2022 Legislative Date 1/14/2022 Action Hearing 1/25 at 1:30 p.m. Proceedings |
| Chamber Calendar Date Legislative Date Action Vote - Senate - Committee - Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Proceedings |
| Chamber Senate Calendar Date 2/15/2022 Legislative Date 2/15/2022 Action Favorable with Amendments Report by Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Proceedings |
| Chamber Senate Calendar Date 2/16/2022 Legislative Date 2/13/2022 Action Favorable with Amendments { 253825/1 Proceedings 25 |
| Chamber Senate Calendar Date 2/16/2022 Legislative Date 2/13/2022 Action Motion Laid Over (Senator Jennings) Adopted Proceedings 25 |
| Chamber Senate Calendar Date 2/17/2022 Legislative Date 2/14/2022 Action Favorable with Amendments { 253825/1 Adopted Proceedings 26 |
| Chamber Senate Calendar Date 2/17/2022 Legislative Date 2/14/2022 Action Floor Amendment { 843821/1 (Senator Jennings) Rejected (18-29) Proceedings 26 |
| Chamber Senate Calendar Date 2/17/2022 Legislative Date 2/14/2022 Action Second Reading Passed with Amendments Proceedings 26 |
| Chamber Calendar Date Legislative Date Action Text - Third - Animal Welfare - Declawing Cats - Prohibited Acts Proceedings |
| Chamber Senate Calendar Date 2/21/2022 Legislative Date 2/16/2022 Action Third Reading Passed (32-14) Proceedings 28 |
| Chamber House Calendar Date 2/22/2022 Legislative Date 2/22/2022 Action Referred Environment and Transportation Proceedings 15 |
| Chamber Calendar Date Legislative Date Action Vote - House - Committee - Environment and Transportation Proceedings |
| Chamber House Calendar Date 3/31/2022 Legislative Date 3/31/2022 Action Favorable Report by Environment and Transportation Proceedings |
| Chamber House Calendar Date 4/01/2022 Legislative Date 3/26/2022 Action Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed Proceedings 47A |
| Chamber House Calendar Date 4/04/2022 Legislative Date 3/27/2022 Action Third Reading Passed (102-24) Proceedings 48 |
| Chamber Senate Calendar Date 4/04/2022 Legislative Date 3/23/2022 Action Returned Passed Proceedings 63 |
| Chamber Post Passage Calendar Date 4/21/2022 Legislative Date 4/21/2022 Action Approved by the Governor - Chapter 179 Proceedings |
| Chamber Calendar Date Legislative Date Action Text - Chapter - Animal Welfare - Declawing Cats - Prohibited Acts Proceedings |

Chamber Calendar Date Legislative Date Action Proceedings
Senate 10/05/2021 10/05/2021 Pre-filed
Senate 1/12/2022 1/12/2022 First Reading Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs
Text - First - Animal Welfare - Declawing Cats - Prohibited Acts
Senate 1/14/2022 1/14/2022 Hearing 1/25 at 1:30 p.m.
Vote - Senate - Committee - Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs
Senate 2/15/2022 2/15/2022 Favorable with Amendments Report by Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs
Senate 2/16/2022 2/13/2022 Favorable with Amendments { 253825/1 25
Senate 2/16/2022 2/13/2022 Motion Laid Over (Senator Jennings) Adopted 25
Senate 2/17/2022 2/14/2022 Favorable with Amendments { 253825/1 Adopted 26
Senate 2/17/2022 2/14/2022 Floor Amendment { 843821/1 (Senator Jennings) Rejected (18-29) 26
Senate 2/17/2022 2/14/2022 Second Reading Passed with Amendments 26
Text - Third - Animal Welfare - Declawing Cats - Prohibited Acts
Senate 2/21/2022 2/16/2022 Third Reading Passed (32-14) 28
House 2/22/2022 2/22/2022 Referred Environment and Transportation 15
Vote - House - Committee - Environment and Transportation
House 3/31/2022 3/31/2022 Favorable Report by Environment and Transportation
House 4/01/2022 3/26/2022 Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed 47A
House 4/04/2022 3/27/2022 Third Reading Passed (102-24) 48
Senate 4/04/2022 3/23/2022 Returned Passed 63
Post Passage 4/21/2022 4/21/2022 Approved by the Governor - Chapter 179
Text - Chapter - Animal Welfare - Declawing Cats - Prohibited Acts

File Code Agriculture Criminal Law - Substantive Crimes Subjects Animals -see also- Birds; Dogs Civil Actions -see also- Small Claims Committees and Commissions -see also- Political Committees Discipline Fines -see also- Penalties and Sentences Law Enforcement -see also- State Police, Department of Licenses -see also- AB Lic; Certifications;Drivers' Licenses Veterinarians Statutes Article - Agriculture (  
2-301, 2-310, 2-310.1, 2-313.3 ) Article - Criminal Law (  
10-625.1 ) Last Updated: 7/8/2022 2:46 PM

Named provisions

Prohibited Acts

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Last updated

Classification

Agency
MD General Assembly
Instrument
Rule
Legal weight
Binding
Stage
Final
Change scope
Substantive
Document ID
Chapter 179 (SB0067)

Who this affects

Applies to
Healthcare providers Veterinarians Animal welfare organizations
Industry sector
6211 Healthcare Providers
Activity scope
Veterinary practice Animal welfare services
Geographic scope
US-MD US-MD

Taxonomy

Primary area
Agriculture
Operational domain
Compliance
Topics
Consumer Protection Healthcare

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