The Executive Board referred proposals to change the AVMA position statements on domestic cat declawing, and swine castration and docking back to the Animal Welfare Committee for further refinement.

Developed in consultation with the American Association of Feline Practitioners, the proposed replacement of "Declawing of Domestic Cats" provided veterinarians more explicit direction about declawing and educating clients. Board members, however, determined that more refinement is needed.

Similarly, a proposed revision to "Swine Castration, Tail Docking, and Identification" was also referred back to the Animal Welfare Committee for further refinement. The proposed revision, developed in cooperation with the American Association of Swine Veterinarians, contains more explicit guidelines for veterinarians.