Rhode Island

Bills would outlaw declawing cats in R.I. and Mass. – The Boston Globe

Published

2 years ago

March 13, 2024

Bills would outlaw declawing cats in R.I. and Mass. – The Boston Globe

Senator Melissa A. Murray, a Woonsocket Democrat, introduced a cat declawing bill that the Senate Environment and Agriculture Committee voted in favor of on Wednesday. The bill is expected to come to the Senate floor next week.

âMost vets donât declaw, but unfortunately there are some that still do,â Murray said. âPeople donât understand declawing is not just a simple permanent nail trim. Itâs like removing the tips of your fingers up to the first knuckle.â

Declawing provides no benefit for the catâs health and wellbeing, she said, and there are alternatives such as regular nail trims, placing plastic caps on the catâs claws, or putting scratching posts in areas where cats might claw furniture.

Murray said she became interested in the issue three years ago, at Christmastime, when she adopted a kitten named Marcel Noel. She said she began trimming the catâs claws early on, and Marcel Noel does not ruin her furniture.

But, Murray said, âHonestly, if you are more concerned about your furniture than your pet, then donât get a cat.â

Representative William W. OâBrien, a North Providence Democrat, has introduced a companion bill that was recently heard in the House Judiciary Committee.

If the legislation passes, Rhode Island and Massachusetts would join New York and Maryland as the first states to ban the declawing of cats. Declawing has been prohibited in nearly 40 other countries â where cats tend to spend more time outdoors â and in 13 US cities, including Los Angeles, Denver, and Pittsburgh, advocates said.

The Rhode Island legislation has received support from groups such as the Animal Legal Defense Legislative Fund.

âThe supposed convenience of stopping a catâs natural behavior of scratching is actually a highly invasive surgical procedure than can cause catâs a lifetime of pain and discomfort as well as lead to behavioral issues such as biting,â the fundâs Stephanie J. Harris wrote to legislators. âWe urge the advancement of legislation to protect cats from declawing, a cruel and outdated practice that is unnecessary except in rare cases to protect a catâs health.â

But the legislation is facing opposition from the Rhode Island Veterinary Medical Association, which says the bills are âclearly redundant to the State of Rhode Islandâs veterinary practice laws.â

In a letter from Leonard Lopes, the association said it believes declawing should be performed only by a licensed veterinarian as a final alternative to euthanasia, after trying all medicines and behavioral changes and trying to find another home for the cat. Veterinarians have an obligation to educate clients on alternatives and potential complications, the association said.

âAlthough any procedure can have complications, claims that declawing causes permanent intractable pain in cats are untrue,â the association stated. âIf it were true, veterinarians would never do them.â

The association believes the proposed legislation would set a bad precedent by âcreating regulations redundant to and outside of the parameters of the veterinary practice laws and requiring oversight of veterinarians by public officials other than the Board of Veterinary Medicine.â

In response, Murray said, âWe make laws regarding human medical doctors all the time.â

In Virginia, a bill to outlaw cat declawing failed last year after that stateâs Veterinary Medical Association opposed it. The Virginia opponents said veterinarians often are asked to declaw a cat âbecause of the medical needs of the owner,â citing two HIV-positive clients who wanted to minimize their risk of bleeding from cat scratches. They asked lawmakers to trust veterinarians to âdo the right thing.â

In Massachusetts, the Senate voted in January for a bill to prohibit âinhumaneâ declawing of cats, and it was sent to the House.

In Rhode Island, the Senate passed a declawing bill last year, but it went nowhere in the House. âIâm hoping that this is the year,â Murray said.

The Rhode Island legislation would make it unlawful âperform surgical claw removal, declawing, or a tendonectomyâ on cats, while allowing procedures âperformed solely for a therapeutic purpose.â Therapeutic purposes would included procedures needed to address illness, injury, or abnormal conditions, but they would not include procedures for cosmetic purposes or âto make the cat more convenient to keep or handle.â

Anyone found guilty of violating the law would face a fine of up to $1,000.

The Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association is backing the bill.

âDeclawing is a painful, invasive surgery â a series of 10 to 18 separate amputations of the last bones of a catâs toes,â the associationâs Barbara Hodges wrote. âContrary to widely held belief, declawing is not simply removal of nails. It is typically performed for convenience and to avoid possible damage to household items. However, declawing exposes the patient to risks of anesthesia, infection, and blood loss as well as chronic pain, nerve damage and lameness.â

The association emphasized that itâs normal for cats to scratch.

âIt removes dead husks from catsâ claws, marks territory, and stretches muscles,â Hodges wrote. âSensible alternatives include well-selected scratching posts, alternative furniture selection or placement, nail trims, training, and nail caps.â

Dennis Tabella, director of the Defenders of Animals Inc., is also supporting the bill. âDeclawing a cat removes their natural ability to climb, jump, fight, and ultimately, protect themselves,â he wrote, suggesting alternatives such as applying a synthetic pheromone spray on objects that your cat likes to scratch.

âCats are natural hunters and explorers,â Tabella wrote. âWhen we make them indoor pets, they can experience stress if not provided with an enriched environment full of outlets for their inquisitive, playful energy. An enriched environment includes providing things like scratching surfaces, toys, cat trees, and more.â

Edward Fitzpatrick can be reached at edward.fitzpatrick@globe.com. Follow him @FitzProv.

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Rhode Island

Rhode Island women’s basketball wins A-10 regular-season championship

Published

10 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Rhode Island women’s basketball wins A-10 regular-season championship

SOUTH KINGSTOWN – What was a peerless achievement in University of Rhode Island women’s basketball history now has some company just four short years later.

The Rams are Atlantic 10 regular-season champions again after a special Saturday afternoon in Kingston, a coronation more than a contest against visiting George Washington.

The Revolutionaries never had a chance after the hosts got off to a sharp start at the Ryan Center. URI left no doubt in front of its best crowd of the season, and a significant portion of that gathering stuck around long after the final whistle to see the nets cut down again.

It was all Rams in this 72-48 cruise, a result that matched what was a first in 2022-23 and handed URI a No. 1 seed in the upcoming conference tournament. George Mason dropped to the No. 2 spot despite posting the same 16-2 league record as the Rams, and that came thanks to a comprehensive 79-63 defeat in a Valentine’s Day matchup.

“There’s nothing more satisfying as a coach than to have the confetti fall and to cut down nets with this group of young women,” URI coach Tammi Reiss said. “I’ve never been prouder.”

URI scored on each of its first five offensive possessions and authored a masterpiece through the opening three quarters. It was only in the fourth when Reiss emptied her bench that George Washington showed any semblance of being able to keep pace. Palmire Mbu led three in double figures with 23 points, and Sophia Vital played yet another complete all-around game to help the Rams run roughshod.

“We were just extra motivated today,” Mbu said. “We wanted to do great for our crowd.

“Just trying my best. Trying to be aggressive and to give solutions on offense and defense. It felt good.”

URI owned a 21-point lead entering the final 10 minutes, thanks to 18 assists, just two turnovers and 63.4% shooting from the field. The Rams buried the offensive struggles they experienced in road losses to La Salle and Richmond with what had been a typical display of crisp execution. URI closed 26-for-35 from 2-point range, collected 48 points in the paint and racked up another 17 off Revolutionaries turnovers.

“I do believe the last four years we had talented teams – we had talented players,” URI guard Ines Debroise said. “But I think it’s also how we can put all the pieces of the puzzle together. This year that’s what we were going to do from day one.”

Mbu’s bucket off a Vanessa Harris steal gave the Rams a 25-10 lead and forced a George Washington timeout with 6:38 left in the second quarter. It seemed just a matter of time before this one was out of reach, and Brooklyn Gray followed a Debroise 3-pointer with a pair of layups to make it a 32-12 cushion. URI’s lead never dipped under 12 points again, and Mbu’s hook in the lane capped an 8-0 run that took it back to 58-38 with 1:00 left in the third.

Video of URI coach Tammi Reiss speaking postgame on Feb. 28

URI women’s basketball beats George Washington to win the Atlantic 10 regular-season championship

“They were sharing the ball in a championship game,” Reiss said. “It wasn’t 1-on-1. That’s what makes this team special.”

The Rams (25-4, 16-2 Atlantic 10) set a new program best for conference wins in a season and are now one shy from a new overall mark – they collected 26 while making a run to the WNIT Round of 16 in 2022-23. URI shared the league crown with rival Massachusetts that year before suffering a semifinal upset against Saint Louis and missing out on a third meeting with the Minutewomen.

“Their job is to show up and be us,” Reiss said. “Execute our game plan with discipline and ferocity for 40 minutes. Our job is to manage them – their health, their minutes.”

The Revolutionaries (15-16, 7-11 Atlantic 10) dropped to the No. 10 seed in the upcoming conference tournament and will play No. 7 Saint Louis in the second round on Thursday, March 5. The Rams will open Friday’s quarterfinals in an 11 a.m. tip on the USA Network against either No. 8 Loyola Chicago or No. 9 St. Bonaventure. No. 4 Davidson and No. 5 Saint Joseph’s are in URI’s half of the bracket, while the second-seeded Patriots and third-seeded Spiders could be on a semifinal collision course in the other half at Henrico Sports & Events Center.

“It’s going to be tough for everybody – probably three games in three days,” Mbu said. “We’ve got to push to the end and play like we’ve been doing.”

GEORGE WASHINGTON (48): Sara Lewis 2-10 2-2 6, Gabby Reynolds 7-13 2-2 17, Tanah Becker 1-2 1-1 3, Mia James 2-6 0-0 4, Kamari Sims 2-4 0-0 4, Emma Theodorsson 0-6 2-2 2, Jaeda Wilson 1-2 0-0 2, Filipa Calisto 2-2 0-0 4, Colleen Phiri 0-0 0-0 0, Caia Loving 2-2 0-0 4, Payton Dulin 1-1 0-2 2. Totals 20-48 7-9 48.

RHODE ISLAND (72): Palmire Mbu 9-14 3-4 23, Albina Syla 5-6 0-0 10, Brooklyn Gray 5-6 0-0 11, Sophia Vital 3-6 1-2 7, Ines Debroise 4-7 0-0 9, Vanessa Harris 3-7 0-0 7, Aimee Michel 2-2 0-0 4, Valentina Ojeda 0-2 0-0 0, Ta’Viyanna Habib 0-0 0-0 0, Eva Agba 0-1 1-2 1. Totals 31-51 5-8 72.

Halftime – RI, 40-25. 3-point FG – GW 1-8 (Reynolds 1-2, Becker 0-1, James 0-2, Sims 0-1, Theodorsson 0-2), RI 5-16 (Mbu 2-4, Gray 1-1, Vital 0-2, Debroise 1-4, Harris 1-2, Ojeda 0-2, Agba 0-1). Rebounds – GW 23 (Sims 5), RI 26 (Vital 6). Assists – GW 7 (Sims 2, Loving 2), RI 21 (Vital 7). Turnovers – GW 13 (Sims 4), RI 7 (Gray 2, Harris 2). Blocked shots – GW 2 (James 1, Loving 1), RI 3 (Mbu 2). Steals – GW 3 (Lewis 1, James 1, Sims 1), RI 6 (Vital 3). Attendance – 6,580.

bkoch@providencejournal.com

On X: @BillKoch25

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Rhode Island

Frostbitten lizard found in Rhode Island is healing

Published

22 hours ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Frostbitten lizard found in Rhode Island is healing

While shoveling his driveway during yet another winter storm, a man in Providence, Rhode Island found something rather unexpected—a very cold giant lizard. Fortunately, the animal rehabilitation experts at the New England Wildlife Center found that besides being very dehydrated and having frostbite on its tongue and toes, the female tegu named Frankie was doing okay.

Tegus are large South American reptiles, so how did Frankie end up in the middle of a snowstorm in New England? Tess Gannaway, a veterinarian at the wildlife center who treated Frankie, tells Popular Science that she was probably someone’s pet.

“Given their size they often roam folk’s homes like dogs or cats and there is a chance that in warmer months Frankie escaped and was surviving on her own outside until the weather got too cold for her to manage,” Gannaway explains. There’s also the more unfortunate possibility that the lizard was recently abandoned.

The black on the tip of Frankie’s tongue are the dead tissue as a result of the frostbite. Image: New England Wildlife Center Staff.

Either way, Frankie was likely unable to pull her tongue back into her mouth at the start of the storm, which caused the frostbite on both her tongue and her toes. The tongue frostbite is particularly notable because known cases of animals with mucus membrane related frostbite are exceedingly unusual. Because of the frostbite, Frankie no longer has the iconic reptilian V-shape in her tongue.

In fact, veterinary medicine as a whole didn’t have any published accounts of such an affliction. As such, Gannaway and her veterinary student turned to human medical literature to decide on Frankie’s best treatment option, and ultimately identified what they were looking for.

This “is really cool and an example of something in veterinary medicine and other fields we call one health, so the intersection between human and animal health,” Gannaway explained in a New England Wildlife Center video.

In the human report, a portion of a patient’s tongue had unintentionally frozen because of a medical intervention in the mouth. Doctors then removed the dead external tissue a number of times, healing the injury within three weeks.

Similarly, the team at the New England Wildlife Center aims to remove part of Frankie’s dead tongue tissue every two or three weeks. Hopefully, the tongue will heal on its own, but the good news is that tongues are rapid healers.

Gannaway says that the team is “cautiously optimistic” about Frankie’s future.

“She did great during her first debridement [the tissue removal] and has moved on from liquid to solid food. New England Wildlife Centers’ Veterinarians will keep checking her tongue every 2 weeks to see if she needs further sedation to remove more superficial tissue,” she adds.“Until then she is on pain medications and an antibiotic. Tegus can live normal lives with only part of their tongue so as long as we can get her tongue to stabilize she should be ready to live a warmer although slightly less adventurous life.”

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Rhode Island

Bodycam footage shows moments police respond to Pawtucket shooting

Published

1 day ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Bodycam footage shows moments police respond to Pawtucket shooting

Police bodycam footage shows the moments officers arrived to the scene of a deadly mass shooting in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.

The shooting on Feb. 16 at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena killed Rhonda Dorgan and Aidan Dorgan, the ex-wife and son of the shooter, who died by suicide.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat live at 988lifeline.org. You can also visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional support.

Gerald Dorgan, Rhonda’s father, died from his injuries this week. His wife, Linda Dorgan, and family friend Thomas Geruso remain hospitalized.

Around five minutes after the first officer arrives, he beings helping paramedics with a man who identifies himself as Aidan. Twelve minutes in, Aidan Dorgan is transported to the hospital, where he would later die from his injuries.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), visiting www.thehotline.org or texting LOVEIS to 22522.

For the last 10 minutes of the footage, the officer then begins helping paramedics transport the other three gunshot victims.

The video ends with police prepping witness interviews.

The shooting rocked the Pawtucket community. Chris Librizzi, head coach of the Blackstone Valley Schools hockey team impacted by the shooting, said the players and coaching staff “are devastated over the events that took place at Lynch Arena on Monday and intimately affected one of our teammates.”

As authorities continue investigating the shooting in Pawtucket, three patients remain in critical condition.

“We will lean on each other and support one another, as we have always done as a team,” he added.

Pawtucket police said two handguns were found at the scene after the shooting, a Sig Sauer P226 and Glock. Other weapons have been seized at the suspect’s storage unit in Maine.

Investigators continue reviewing all video evidence from before, during and after the shooting, including surveillance footage from the Dennis M. Lynch Arena, police body-worn camera footage and other records — a high school sports livestream captured the shooting from a distance — police said.

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