102. Some parts of the industry remove the dew and pivot claw from the feet of breeder males to prevent damage to females during natural mating. The procedure is usually carried out at day-old using sharp scissors. We also saw examples of removal of only part of the claw, leaving the toe complete. Trials by one of the primary breeding companies suggested that damage to females at mating was greater if the ratio of males:females was excessive. It would therefore seem possible to reduce the potential for mating damage through improved management and efforts have been made, with some success, to convince customers that double declawing is unnecessary.
103. It is still common to remove only the dew claws as these cause significantly more damage than the pivot claws. In the absence of an assessment of the likelihood of damage to female breeders if the males' dew claws are retained, we are not in a position to recommend prohibition of the operation. Nonetheless, we urge the industry to embrace management practices which obviate the need for this mutilation.
104. The practice of removing the pivot claw should be phased out within three years.
105. The industry should adopt management strategies which avoid the need to remove the dew claws of male birds. If the operation is considered necessary, it must be carried out only in the first 24 hours of life unless undertaken by a veterinary surgeon.