The Paw Project exists to promote animal welfare and increase public awareness about the crippling effects of feline declawing, to rehabilitate big cats that have been declawed, and to end the practice of declaw surgery.

The Paw Project initiated efforts which led to the ban on declawing in West Hollywood, CA in 2003. It was the first law of its kind in North America. The ordinance was challenged by a 2005 lawsuit from the California Veterinary Medical Association, but the declaw prohibition was upheld in a California Appellate Court decision announced on June 22, 2007. The Paw Project is grateful to Orly Degani, founder of Los Angeles Lawyers for Animals, who co-authored the ordinance and provided pro bono representation for the City of West Hollywood - and the animals - in this successful legal battle.

The Paw Project was also the sponsor of AB 1857, introduced by former Assemblyman Paul Koretz (D-42nd District). In January 2005, the California Anti-Declaw Act, signed into law by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, became the first state law in the US banning the declawing of wild and exotic cats.

Scientific research published by Paw Project veterinarians provided the data behind the 2006 USDA ruling forbidding declawing of animals by USDA-licensed owners of exotic and wild animals. The USDA ban is enforced by the federal Animal Welfare Act

Declawing is a surgical procedure, also called onychectomy, in which the animal's toes are amputated at the last joint. Most people do not realize that a portion of the bone—not only the nail—is removed. Declawing may result in permanent lameness, arthritis, and other long-term complications. It is actually illegal in many countries. View case studies of cats that have suffered negative health effects due to declawing »

Since April 2000 veterinarians working with The Paw Project have performed reparative surgery on lions, tigers, cougars, leopards, and jaguars that had been victims of declaw surgery. Enjoying relief for the first time after years of suffering, declawed cats that could hobble only a few agonizing steps prior to reparative surgery are able to leap, run, and play much more as nature intended. View a movie of Kona, before and after paw repair surgery »

There are more than 100 big cat sanctuaries in 41 states caring for over 1000 declawed cats that live each day in constant pain. The Paw Project's goal is to help every one of these cats by providing support to animal sanctuaries and veterinarians.