Proposed ban on declawing cats, debarking dogs and ear cropping in Ontario

A dog and cat cuddle together on a couch in a stock photo. (Getty Images)

The Ministry of the Solicitor General is proposing a regulation under the Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act, 2019 (PAWS Act) to ban certain procedures performed on dogs and cats in Ontario.

The proposal posted on the Ontario Regulatory Registry on Dec. 22, 2025, includes prohibiting medically unnecessary procedures (MUPs) such as declawing cats, debarking dogs and ear cropping.

The post said MUPs are elective surgeries performed on animals for cosmetic or convenience purposes rather than medical need.

Here are the details of the MUPs the ministry is proposing to ban in Ontario:

• Declawing (onychectomy): The surgical amputation of all or part of a cat’s third phalanx (toe bone) and the attached claws.
• Ear cropping: A cosmetic surgical procedure for dogs, involving cutting and shaping the pinna (floppy part of the ear) to make it stand up.
• Devocalization (debarking): A surgical procedure performed on dogs to cut out varying amounts of the vocal folds or cords.

The proposal states prohibiting these procedures would:

• Promote animal welfare by ensuring procedures that alter natural anatomy are only performed when medically necessary.
• Align Ontario’s standards with other leading provinces and territories.
• Set clear standards for individuals who may perform or assist with MUPs, including veterinarians and pet owners.
• Authorize animal welfare inspectors to oversee enforcement of the ban on certain MUPs to ensure compliance with the PAWS Act.

The ministry is also proposing that licensed veterinarians in good standing would still be permitted to perform any procedure deemed necessary for the safety, health or well-being of an animal.

The ministry is welcoming comments and feedback. You can complete the feedback template and comment on the proposal via email.

“I really recommend people take a look at it. There’s a pretty easy questionnaire where you can give your feedback on it,” said Lynnette Bain, executive director of the Windsor-Essex Humane Society.

“Something that Humane Societies are pushing for is it doesn’t really go far enough. That we would like it to just declare all medically unnecessary procedures and not have to spell out individual ones, and then we do believe that giving veterinarians the ability to make that call on deeming what is medically necessary.”

She added it’s important to allow the College of Veterinarians of Ontario regulate it, because they regulate all other rights of veterinarians.

The comment due date is Feb. 5, 2026. The regulatory posting does not state when the ban would come into effect.

“It’s good for animals. But we’re the last remaining province to do so, so it’s well overdue,” Bain added.

“When the PAWS Act came into effect, animal welfare advocates were screaming for this then, but I think COVID hit and there was a lot of work for provincial animal welfare to take on with the enforcement of the act and putting officers into place. It’s been kind of a real slog for them trying to get that in place, and now they’re well equipped to be able to put this in effect.