“Banned for Cats, Legal for Turkeys: The Double Standard in Animal Welfare”
In the UK, declawing a cat is illegal [1]. Because fair enough, it is similar to cutting off the first joint of your finger, and that is horrible.
But then why can you do the same thing to a turkey?
In the UK, all non-human animals are protected under the Animal Welfare Act. It prohibits animal cruelty such as mutilation, which is defined as “a procedure involving interference with sensitive tissues or bone structure” [2]. That is why declawing a cat is illegal.
But what about the turkey?
Turns out, there is another law that overrides this, called the Mutilations (Permitted Procedures) Regulations. This has a list of all the mutilations that are allowed to be performed on farmed animals. And yes, ‘de-toeing’ [3]—which is the act of cutting off the toes of a turkey—is on that list.
So when people say to me, “there are laws to make sure farm animals are treated right, right?” Unfortunately, it is not a simple yes or no answer. And I think most people don’t realise that.
References:
[1] “Declawing Cats UK: Why It's Illegal” Pets4Home, March 2025.
https://www.pets4homes.co.uk/pet-advice/what-is-declawing-and-why-is-it-illegal-in-the-uk.html
(Accessed 28 March 2025)
[2] “The Mutilations (Permitted Procedures) (England) Regulations 2007“
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2007/1100/body
(Accessed 27 March 2025)
[3] “The Mutilations (Permitted Procedures) (England) Regulations 2007“ Schedule 1, Permitted Procedures.
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2007/1100/schedule/1
(Accessed 28 March 2025)
From my video:
“In the UK, declawing a cat is illegal”
Watch on any of my social media platforms:
