I have to say that I think if declawing was legal over here, it would be quite popular. Not every American is into declawing, and there are lots that spend their time trying to educate people about it - if I lived there, I would probably be in prison due to being outside vets trying to educate people. The other problem over there is that a lot of landlords have it in their contract that the only pets you are allowed are declawed - I dont know what I would do if my options were declaw, rehome my cat, or lie and pray the landlord never found out (as if htey did, I could be evicted). I have no issues with Soft Paws, it is a better alternative to declawing, and there are sometimes valid reasons for their use.