AB867 - Veterinary medicine: cat declawing.

Assembly Bill No. 867 CHAPTER 479 An act to amend Sections 4826, 4827, and 4883 of, and to add Section 4826.8 to, the Business and Professions Code, relating to healing arts. [ Approved by Governor October 09, 2025. Filed with Secretary of State October 09, 2025. ] LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 867, Lee. Veterinary medicine: cat declawing. Existing law, the Veterinary Medicine Practice Act, establishes the California Veterinary Medical Board to regulate the practice of veterinary medicine, and specifies acts the performance of which constitutes the practice of veterinary medicine, surgery, and dentistry, including performing a surgical operation upon an animal. Existing law provides that nothing in the act prohibits a person from practicing veterinary medicine as a bona fide owner of one’s own animals. A violation of the act is a crime. This bill would include the performance of a tendonectomy, onychectomy, or any type of claw removal on a feline within the practice of veterinary medicine, surgery, and dentistry. The bill would require those procedures to be performed only for a therapeutic purpose, as defined, and would authorize the board to deny, revoke, or suspend a license or registration or assess a fine for performing those procedures for any reason other than a therapeutic purpose. This bill would exclude the performance of those procedures from the provisions authorizing a person to practice veterinary medicine as an owner of one’s own animals. The bill would specify that the bill’s provision shall not be interpreted to preempt a local ordinance adopted before January 1, 2026, limiting the performance of the feline declawing procedures identified in the bill. Because a violation of these provisions would be a crime under the act, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Sections 4827 and 4883 of the Business and Professions Code proposed by AB 1502 to be operative only if this bill and AB 1502 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YES Bill Text The people of the State of California do enact as follows: SECTION 1. Section 4826 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read: 4826. A person practices veterinary medicine, surgery, and dentistry, and the various branches thereof, when the person does any one of the following: (a) Represents oneself as engaged in the practice of veterinary medicine, veterinary surgery, or veterinary dentistry in any of its branches. (b) Diagnoses or prescribes a drug, medicine, appliance, application, or treatment of whatever nature for the prevention, cure, or relief of a wound, fracture, bodily injury, or disease of animals. (c) Administers a drug, medicine, appliance, application, or treatment of whatever nature for the prevention, cure, or relief of a wound, fracture, bodily injury, or disease of animals, except where the medicine, appliance, application, or treatment is administered by a registered veterinary technician or a veterinary assistant at the direction of and under the direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian subject to Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 4836) or where the drug, including, but not limited to, a drug that is a controlled substance, is administered by a registered veterinary technician or a veterinary assistant pursuant to Section 4836.1. However, no person, other than a licensed veterinarian, may induce anesthesia unless authorized by regulation of the board. (d) Performs a surgical or dental operation upon an animal. (e) Performs a tendonectomy, onychectomy, or any type of claw removal on a feline. (f) Performs any manual procedure for the diagnosis of pregnancy, sterility, or infertility upon livestock or Equidae. (g) Collects blood from an animal for the purpose of transferring or selling that blood and blood component products to a licensed veterinarian at a registered premises, except where the blood is collected by a registered veterinary technician or veterinary assistant at the direction of, and under the direct supervision of, a licensed veterinarian subject to Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 4836) or where the blood is collected by a registered veterinary technician or a veterinary assistant pursuant to Section 4836.5. For purposes of this section, “blood and blood component products” has the same meaning as defined in Section 4920. (h) Uses any words, letters, or titles in such connection or under such circumstances as to induce the belief that the person using them is engaged in the practice of veterinary medicine, veterinary surgery, or veterinary dentistry. This use shall be prima facie evidence of the intention to represent oneself as engaged in the practice of veterinary medicine, veterinary surgery, or veterinary dentistry. SEC. 2. Section 4826.8 is added to the Business and Professions Code, to read: 4826.8. (a) An onychectomy, tendonectomy, surgical claw removal, or declaw on any feline or any procedure to otherwise alter a feline’s toes, claws, or paws to prevent or impair the normal function of the feline’s toes, claws, or paws shall be performed solely for a therapeutic purpose. (b) For purposes of this section, “therapeutic purpose” means a medically necessary procedure to address an existing or recurring infection, disease, injury, or abnormal condition in the claws, nail bed, or toe bone, which jeopardizes the feline’s health. “Therapeutic purpose” does not include a procedure performed for a cosmetic or aesthetic purpose or to make the feline more convenient to keep or handle. (c) This section shall not prohibit a veterinarian from nail trimming or applying nonsurgical scratching mitigation solutions, such as the application of a device to the tip of a claw. SEC. 3. Section 4827 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read: 4827. (a) Nothing in this chapter prohibits any person from: (1) Practicing veterinary medicine as a bona fide owner of one’s own animals, except for the procedures specified in Section 4826.8. This exemption applies to the following: (A) The owner’s bona fide employees. (B) Any person assisting the owner, provided that the practice is performed gratuitously. (2) Lay testing of poultry by the whole blood agglutination test. For purposes of this section, “poultry” means flocks of avian species maintained for food production, including, but not limited to, chickens, turkeys, and exotic fowl. (3) Making any determination as to the status of pregnancy, sterility, or infertility upon livestock, equine, or food animals at the time an animal is being inseminated, providing no charge is made for this determination. (4) Administering sodium pentobarbital for euthanasia of sick, injured, homeless, or surrendered domestic pets or animals without the presence of a veterinarian when the person is an employee of an animal control shelter and its agencies or humane society and has received proper training in the administration of sodium pentobarbital for these purposes. (5) Providing the following care to animals lawfully deposited with or impounded by a shelter not registered with the board pursuant to Section 4853: (A) Administering preventative or prophylactic nonprescription vaccinations to the animal pursuant to protocols written by a veterinarian licensed in this state for the purposes of preventing the spread of communicable diseases, without the presence of a veterinarian when the person has received proper training in the administration of the nonprescription preventative or prophylactic vaccinations. (B) Administering nonprescription medications to the animal pursuant to protocols written by a veterinarian licensed in this state, for the control or eradication of apparent or anticipated internal or external parasites, including, but not limited to, fleas, ticks, or worms, without the presence of a veterinarian when the person has received proper training in the administration of the nonprescription medications for the control or eradication of those internal or external parasites. A person’s decision to administer these medications shall not be construed to mean the person has made a diagnosis of the animal’s medical condition. (C) Administering medications prescribed by a veterinarian licensed in the state to the animal without the presence of a veterinarian when the shelter has received a written treatment plan from the licensed veterinarian for that specific animal and has a dispensing protocol in place for the tracking of dispensed prescribed medications and when the person has received proper training in the administration of prescription medications. (b) For the purposes of paragraph (5) of subdivision (a): (1) “Proper training” means completing a training curriculum of at least four hours provided by a veterinarian licensed to practice in this state, and includes, but is not limited to, an overview of intake procedures and preventative medicine, recognizing when an animal is required to be seen by a veterinarian, prescription and nonprescription medications, humane animal restraint techniques, vaccination injection methods and procedures, and documentation. (2) “Shelter” means a public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter, or humane society shelter that is not registered with the board pursuant to Section 4853. (c) A shelter providing care to an animal pursuant to this section that is not registered with the board pursuant to Section 4853 shall report to the board any adverse event resulting in significant impairment or death from the care provided, on a form prescribed by the board, including severe injuries, infections, and unintended reactions caused by the incorrect or inappropriate administration of a vaccine or medications. SEC. 3.5. Section 4827 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read: 4827. (a) Nothing in this chapter prohibits any person from: (1) Practicing veterinary medicine as a bona fide owner of one’s own animals, except for the procedures specified in Section 4826.8. This exemption applies to the following: (A) The owner’s bona fide employees. (B) Any person assisting the owner, provided that the practice is performed gratuitously. (2) Lay testing of poultry by the whole blood agglutination test. For purposes of this section, “poultry” means flocks of avian species maintained for food production, including, but not limited to, chickens, turkeys, and exotic fowl. (3) Making any determination as to the status of pregnancy, sterility, or infertility upon livestock, equine, or food animals at the time an animal is being inseminated, providing no charge is made for this determination. (4) Administering sodium pentobarbital for euthanasia of sick, injured, homeless, or surrendered domestic pets or animals without the presence of a veterinarian when the person is administering the treatment in their capacity as an employee of an animal control shelter and its agencies or humane society and has received proper training in the administration of sodium pentobarbital for these purposes. (5) Providing the following care to animals lawfully deposited with or impounded by a shelter not registered with the board pursuant to Section 4853: (A) Administering preventative or prophylactic nonprescription vaccinations to the animal pursuant to protocols written by a veterinarian licensed in this state for the purposes of preventing the spread of communicable diseases, without the presence of a veterinarian when the person has received proper training in the administration of the nonprescription preventative or prophylactic vaccinations. (B) Administering nonprescription medications to the animal pursuant to protocols written by a veterinarian licensed in this state, for the control or eradication of apparent or anticipated internal or external parasites, including, but not limited to, fleas, ticks, or worms, without the presence of a veterinarian when the person has received proper training in the administration of the nonprescription medications for the control or eradication of those internal or external parasites. A person’s decision to administer these medications shall not be construed to mean the person has made a diagnosis of the animal’s medical condition. (C) Administering medications prescribed by a veterinarian licensed in the state to the animal without the presence of a veterinarian when the shelter has received a written treatment plan from the licensed veterinarian for that specific animal and has a dispensing protocol in place for the tracking of dispensed prescribed medications and when the person has received proper training in the administration of prescription medications. (b) For the purposes of paragraph (5) of subdivision (a): (1) “Proper training” means completing a training curriculum of at least four hours provided by a veterinarian licensed to practice in this state, and includes, but is not limited to, an overview of intake procedures and preventative medicine, recognizing when an animal is required to be seen by a veterinarian, prescription and nonprescription medications, humane animal restraint techniques, vaccination injection methods and procedures, and documentation. (2) “Shelter” means a public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter, or humane society shelter that is not registered with the board pursuant to Section 4853. (c) A shelter providing care to an animal pursuant to this section that is not registered with the board pursuant to Section 4853 shall report to the board any adverse event resulting in significant impairment or death from the care provided, on a form prescribed by the board, including severe injuries, infections, and unintended reactions caused by the incorrect or inappropriate administration of a vaccine or medications. SEC. 4. Section 4883 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read: 4883. The board may deny, revoke, or suspend a license or registration or assess a fine as provided in Section 4875 for any of the following: (a) Conviction of a crime substantially related to the qualifications, functions, or duties of veterinary medicine, surgery, or dentistry, in which case the record of the conviction shall be conclusive evidence. (b) For having professional connection with, or lending the licensee’s or registrant’s name to, any illegal practitioner of veterinary medicine and the various branches thereof. (c) Violation or attempting to violate, directly or indirectly, any of the provisions of this chapter. (d) Fraud or dishonesty in appl [Text truncated for display. Full text available on Congress.gov.]