California § 4826.8. 4826.8. (Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 479, Sec. 2.)

California Statutes

§ 4826.8. — 4826.8. (Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 479, Sec. 2.)

California § 4826.8.

JurisdictionCalifornia

Code BPCBusiness and Professions Code - BPC

Div. 2.DIVISION 2. HEALING ARTS

Ch. 11.CHAPTER 11. Veterinary Medicine

Art. 2.ARTICLE 2. Practice Provisions

This text of California § 4826.8. (4826.8. (Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 479, Sec. 2.)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC Code § 4826.8. (2026).

Text

(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

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(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.