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| Jennifer Conrad |
When it comes to house pets, one of the most common choices is a cat. These lovable furry creatures have been a prominent part of American culture that has come to include Animal Planet TV shows and even popular Youtube videos. Despite the appeal, there are still some issues regarding their well-being. The Paw Project is a documentary that explores the phenomenon of declawing cats, which has some egregious side effects. Does it succeed in creating a powerful message, or is this just an excuse to compile videos of cats?
The Paw Project focuses on Dr. Jennifer Conrad, whose work with felines extends 20 years. She also runs the company Vet to the (Real) Stars, which provides humane veterinary care for larger cats that have appeared in films such as The Hangover. Through research, she discovers that some of these animals have been declawed, often for safety reasons. By cutting off the claw, it causes an ingrown nail, leaving them in severe pain while projecting hostile behavior. By performing surgery to fix it, she notices a positive difference. With this in mind, she created the Paw Project, which attempts to outlaw declawing on house cats.
The documentary spans the 10 year history of the organization and its struggle against the California Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA), whose endorsement of declawing serves as a primary catalyst. Through a series of interviews with veterinary professionals and TV personality Jackson Galaxy (Animal Planet’s My Cat from Hell); the clinical look at declawing is a fascinating exploration into how it actually damages a cat’s psyche. If the documentary suffers any faults, it is presenting its cause with a little too much empathy and hyperbolic language mixed with suffering animals. While not done to an exploitative degree, it occasionally feels manipulative.
It is the second half that creates a strong objective. Like all good documentaries, it doesn’t just present the issue. It aims to solve the issue by showing how the organization has improved the situation over time. The focus lies on how West Hollywood became the first city to ban declawing. This results in a mix of backlash from the CVMA and legislation that will ban the Paw Project from creating bans. Conrad becomes a miracle worker, getting seven cities in six weeks to pass legislation before the ban is put into effect. The feat is nothing short of inspirational and makes the cause seem powerful. Footage of Conrad and her organization at council meetings adds a hefty weight to the documentary, especially as it shows just how uninformed elected officials are on the matter.
While The Paw Project serves only as a footnote, it ends hopeful. Having created a convincing case, it breaks away from propaganda and works as a call to awareness. It features a survey of professional opinions that creates a well-rounded look into the issue. The stories range from informative to shocking. Despite all of the clinical facts, the powerful moments come from cat owners. Unlike the CVMA, they are portrayed as victims. Often played over cat footage, their tales help the story connect on a more universal level and gives that film an extra punch.
At an hour long run time the film successfully balances information and emotion in an engaging fashion. In the 10 years of the organization, Conrad has done wonders, and this is a celebration of that achievement. Even with funny cat videos playing over the closing credits, the message is clear. This is a love letter to cats in their purest form. They may be sometimes rambunctious, but they deserve ethical treatment. There is a sense of care and need to make a difference for a cause that is greatly misunderstood. While this is only a stepping stone, this is an engaging, informative and overall successful way of spreading the word. For more information, please visit their website.
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