2004 News & Legislative Milestones
September 29—California Animal Cruelty Declawing Bill AB 1857 is signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. AB 1857 bans declawing of wild and exotic cats; the law becomes effective January 1, 2005. The Paw Project Director Jennifer Conrad sponsored the Koretz Bill Banning Declawing of Exotic Cats, authored and advanced in the State Assembly by the Honorable Paul Koretz (D-42nd Assembly District). International and local media, such as Los Angeles KABC News have covered the legislative milestones that led to passage of the first law in North America to ban cat declawing, and now, the first State law in the US to prohibit declawing of wild and exotic cats.
September 9—Drs. Jennifer Conrad and Kirk Wendelburg repair the front paws of Ginger, a six-year-old female tiger that had been declawed when she was a cub. The story of Ginger and her surgery was featured that evening on KABC-TV(Los Angeles) Eyewitness News by Emmy Award-winning reporter, Adrienne Alpert. Ginger is the 28th animal treated by The Paw Project
August 24—The California Anti-Declaw Bill AB 1857, is passed by the State Senate with a 21-15 vote. The bill will now go the desk of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, where he may sign the bill, veto it, or allow it to become law without his signature.
June 14—Proposed legislation banning the practice of declawing on big cats, Assembly Bill 1857, was passed through the California Senate Business and Professions committee, thanks to expert testimony given by veterinary professionals and animal welfare advocates, including Tippi Hedren of Shambala Preserve.
May 18-19—Dr. Jennifer Conrad speaks on "Animal Welfare and Ethics - Changing the Veterinarian's Role" at the 2004 Performing Animal Welfare Society Conference at the 2300 acre Ark 2000 Sanctuary in San Andreas, CA.
May 17—The California Anti-Declaw Bill, AB 1857, is passed by the State Assembly by an overwhelming, bipartisan 48-28 vote. The bill will next be heard by the California Senate.
April 14—Despite opposing testimony by several individual animal trainers, the Appropriations Committee passes AB 1857 by a 14-5 vote.
April 12—The Paw Project director, Dr. Jennifer Conrad, is a guest of Karen Dawn on her KPFK radio show, WatchDog, along with comedian Elayne Boosler, Deputy Los Angeles City Attorney Robert Ferber, and HSUS's Eric Sakach.
March 23—The Public Safety Committee of the California State Assembly passes AB 1857. The bill is referred to the Appropriations Committee.
March 21—The Paw Project distributes declawing information at the Best Friends Pet Adoption Festival at Johnny Carson Park in Burbank, CA.
March 20—The HSUS Hollywood Office presents a Genesis Award to Nancy Salter, producer of Life & Times, the PBS news and public affairs series on KCET (Los Angeles), for the report "The Paw Project," described as "an unprecedented report on the appalling effects of domestic and wild cat declawing and the tireless campaign by Dr. Jennifer Conrad of The Paw Project, to spread the word, resulting in West Hollywood's decision to ban the cruel and unnecessary procedure."
March 14—Dr. Jennifer Conrad is a guest on an animal issues radio program from Toronto speaking on declawing and exotic animals as pets.
March 2—Drs. Jennifer Conrad and Kirk Wendelburg repair the right front paw of Louis, a five-year-old male African lion that had been declawed. Louis had his left front paw repaired the previous November.
February 26—California Assembly Bill 1857 is assigned to the Public Safety Committee. The bill's author, Assemblyman Paul Koretz (D-42nd District) is a member of the committee.
February 23—The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) announced that Life & Times, the PBS newsand public affairs series on KCET (Los Angeles), would be the recipient of its prestigous Genesis Award, for their report "The Paw Project." The HSUS press release called it "an unprecedented report on the appalling effects of domestic and wild cat declawing and the tireless campaign by Dr. Jennifer Conrad of The Paw Project to spread the word, resulting in West Hollywood's decision to ban the cruel and unnecessary procedure."
February 2— California Assemblyman Paul Koretz (D-42nd District) introduces Assembly Bill 1857 to prohibit declawing of wild and exotic cats. AB 1857 will ban this inhumane surgical procedure that is now opposed by the AVMA. If enacted, AB 1857 will be the first state law in the US to prohibit declawing.
January 1—The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) introduces a position paper that "opposes declawing of captive exotic and other wild (indigenous) cats for nonmedical reasons." The AVMA Animal Welfare Committee developed the statement with input from the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians and the American Association of Wildlife Veterinarians after Paw Project Director, Jennifer Conrad, DVM, delivered her paper, "Deleterious Effects of Onychectomy (Declawing) and Reparative Surgical Techniques in Exotic Felids: A Preliminary Report," at the 2002 American Association of Zoo Veterinarians, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. AVMA states that "exotic and wild cats commonly experience adverse effects when declawing is performed. Therefore, the welfare committee believes the procedure is ill advised for these cats, unless required for medical reasons."
2004 Events, Highlights & Milestones
July 15— Drs. Jennifer Conrad and Kirk Wendelburg repair the right front paw of Blue, a four-year-old male tiger. In October 2003, The Paw Project veterinarians repaired his left front paw. Much of the money needed for the surgery was raised by Susan Goff Hughes of Santa Monica, who ran the LA Marathon and recruited donors specifically for Blue's care.
July 7—The 5th Annual Sunset Strip-Times Square Billboard Awards were presented by the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce at The House of Blues in West Hollywood, where The Paw Project's anti-declawing billboard won its Public Service category. The Paw Project garnered a second "Stripper" award for the People's Choice category. It won handily, receiving over 70% of the votes tabulated. On hand to accept the awards were Jennifer Conrad, DVM, The Paw Project Director, and Lisbet Thoresen, The Paw Project's Art Director and Designer. Very special thanks to Brian Kennedy, President of Regency Outdoor Advertising, who donated the printing and real estate to display the billboard all over the Los Angeles area over the previous 18 months, broadcasting The Paw Project's message to the widest possible audience, and to his capable assistant, Rochelle Russell.
The Paw Project supporters on hand to celebrate the event included California Assemblymember Paul Koretz and West Hollywood City Mayor John J. Duran, and Deputy to the Mayor, Hernan Molina, Councilmembers John Heilman and Abbe Land.
June 17— Drs. Jennifer Conrad and Kirk Wendelburg repair the right front paw of Czar, a five-year-old male tiger. Czar had been declawed as a cub in a small traveling circus. His lameness caused him to be abandoned at a southern California sanctuary. This completes Czar's surgery. His left front paw was treated by The Paw Project veterinarians in July 2003, and his front paws were repaired in February 2004.
May 24—The Paw Project's anti-declawing billboard has been selected as a finalist in the 2004 Sunset Strip-Times Square Billboard Awards, in the Public Service category. The billboard, which has appeared at various locations in the Los Angeles area, including the world-famous Sunset Strip, was donated by Regency Outdoor Advertising. Brian Kennedy, President of Regency Outdoor Advertising, was an influential backer of the West Hollywood declaw ban and has sponsored several paw-repair surgeries for big cats. Regency has a history of generously supporting animal rights causes and, in 2002, donated a billboard to publicize the protest of the elephant ivory trade, which was led by the International Fund for Animal Welfare. The Paw Project billboard was designed by Lisbet Thoresen. The image of a Bengal tiger depicted on the billboard was made by internationally renowned wildlife photographer, Thomas D. Mangelsen, and was made available through the generosity of Images of Nature. Mario Machado wrote the tagline.
April 25—The Paw Project participates in Earth Day festivities at the Eco Station in Culver City, CA.
March 30—Drs. Jennifer Conrad and Kirk Wendelburg repair the front paws of Pablo, a six-year-old male Bobcat that that had been declawed when it was a cub. Pablo lives at Nature of Wildworks in Topanga, CA and is the 27th animal treated by The Paw Project His rear paws will also need surgical repair.
February 10— Drs. Jennifer Conrad and Kirk Wendelburg lead two teams of surgeons to repair the rear paws of Czar, a four-year-old male tiger. Czar had been declawed as a cub in a small traveling circus. His lameness caused him to be abandoned at a southern California sanctuary. Czar's left front paw was treated by The Paw Project veterinarians in July 2003.