Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 5 June 2019
San Francisco to force treatment on mentally ill drug users

By JANIE HAR the liberal city. They say it
Associated Press would lead to locking up
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — people in facilities and that
San Francisco officials de- San Francisco lacks the re-
cided Tuesday to force sources to successfully ex-
some people with serious pand the number of peo-
mental illness and drug ple in such a program.
addiction into treatment, "We are concerned about
even if it goes against the ensuring that persons re-
spirit of a city known for its ceive mental health treat-
fierce protection of civil ment and services in their
rights. communities, in supportive
Several members of the housing, in supportive envi-
Board of Supervisors voiced ronments — and not in fa-
deep concerns Tuesday cilities," said Curt Child, leg-
about the possibility of tak- In this March 1, 2016, file photo, San Francisco police officers wait while homeless people collect islative director of Disability
ing away a person's civil their belongings in San Francisco. Rights California.
liberties, but the proposal Associated Press "This is a major civil rights is-
for a pilot program passed sue in the sense of confin-
10-1. ported our approach to the impact on African treatment beds in a pro- ing people against their
Mayor London Breed and finally make a change," American people and oth- posed budget. will," he said.
other supporters say the Breed said in a statement er minorities who tend to "By all accounts, the num- San Francisco struggles with
move — known as conser- after the vote. have negative run-ins with ber of people affected will income inequality and a
vatorship — is necessary to The measure would apply police. be small, but no matter growing number of home-
help people who are of- to a handful of people, the Several supervisors decid- how small the number, we less people — some with
ten homeless, addicted to city's department of public ed to give the pilot pro- all need to be watching disturbing behavior tied to
drugs and have a mental health estimated, although gram a try after changes closely to make sure the drugs, schizophrenia or bi-
illness, making them a dan- the number would grow were made that require impacts are positive," said polar disorder. They shuffle
ger to themselves. under legislation pending providers to give the per- Supervisor Vallie Brown, a from the streets to jail and
"Allowing people to con- at the state level. son multiple opportunities co-sponsor of the proposal. psychiatric care, unaware
tinue to suffer on our streets Supervisor Shamann Wal- to accept voluntary help. Critics call the measure po- they need steady treat-
is not acceptable or hu- ton was the sole no vote, They also were encour- litically driven and a viola- ment, sometimes dashing
mane, and I am glad the saying the city didn't have aged by Breed including tion of civil rights that runs into traffic or screaming at
Board of Supervisors sup- plans in place to reduce more money for additional against the principles of strangers.q

New York poised to become first state to ban cat declawing

By DAVID KLEPPER that declawing should be havioral issues, she said,
Associated Press allowed as a last resort while others struggle with
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New for felines that won't stop chronic pain at the ampu-
York would be the first scratching furniture or hu- tation site.
state in the U.S. to ban the mans — or when the cat's "The end result is a barbaric
declawing of cats under owner has a weakened im- procedure that results in
legislation approved by mune system, putting them the mutilation of the ani-
lawmakers at the request at greater risk of infection mal," she said. "Frankly, if
of cat owners, animal wel- from a scratch. you're worried about your
fare advocates and many "Medical decisions should furniture, then you shouldn't
veterinarians who call the be left to the sound discre- be getting a cat."
procedure cruel and need- tion of fully trained, licensed Now, when a cat owner
less.The bill, which would and state supervised pro- asks about the procedure,
subject veterinarians to fessionals," the society said Brownstein said she discuss-
$1,000 fines for performing in a memo opposing the es alternatives, such as rou-
the operation, now heads legislation. tine nail care, scratching
to the desk of Gov. An- Under the bill, which easily posts or even tiny plastic
drew Cuomo, a Democrat, In this Friday, May 20, 2016, file photo, Dr. Richard Goldstein, passed the Democrat-led caps that can be placed
whose representatives said chief medical officer at the Animal Medical Center, checks on Senate and Assembly, vet- over a cat's nails.
he will review the bill before one of his patients at the hospital's clinic in New York. erinarians could still perform There was little vocal oppo-
deciding if he will sign it. Associated Press the procedure for medical sition in the Senate, which
"Cats of New York: Show reasons, such as infection passed the bill 50-12, or in
me your claws" said Assem- provinces, as well as in Los ian to slice through tendon or injury. the Assembly, where the
blywoman Linda Rosenthal, Angeles, San Francisco and and nerves to remove the Veterinarian Michelle preliminary vote was 92-27.
D-Manhattan, who pushed Denver, but no other U.S. last segment of bone in a Brownstein stopped per- But some lawmakers spoke
the bill for years despite the state has voted to ban the cat's toes. Supporters of the forming declawing opera- out against the measure,
opposition the state's larg- procedure, which involves ban cite estimates that a tions 15 years ago at her saying declawing should
est veterinary society. She amputating a cat's toes quarter or more of all do- Rochester-area animal be kept legal for rare cas-
called cat declawing "bar- back to the first knuckle. mestic cats in the U.S. have hospital when she said she es in which cat scratches
baric and inhumane." Unlike human nails, a cat's had the procedure. became convinced the could pose a hazard to
Declawing a cat is already claws are attached to The New York State Veteri- procedure leaves cats with owners with weakened
illegal in much of Europe bone, so declawing a fe- nary Medical Society had lifelong problems. Some immune systems or other
and in several Canadian line requires a veterinar- opposed the bill, arguing declawed cats exhibit be- medical issues.q