07/22/2026
Canada has officially made all non-medical cosmetic procedures on pets illegal nationwide, with Ontario’s new regulation taking effect on January 1, 2027. Cat declawing, canine ear cropping, and debarking, which is the surgical removal of part of a dog’s vocal cord, will all be banned unless medically required.
Vets have opposed these procedures for years, pointing out they cause unnecessary pain and can lead to permanent behavioral problems. The fact that it took this long to be illegal across the board says something about how slow animal welfare legislation tends to move.
