RpNation

There are actually some cool silicon/rubber claw tips called soft paws that really help with scratching. But yeah declawing is awful and can even make them unable to walk properly as time goes on. :\

Poor things... I don't even like cats that much, but that seems quite cruel.

Not that I have much ground to stand on, considering what we did to our dogs... "below parts"

Well, that's a different story... Doing that is often necessary. I work with horses a lot and BOY, a stallion can be difficult to handle. I'm not sure how it is with dogs, but I imagine it's not too different. There's a lot of behavioural changes when you do that.

Thanks for trying to comfort

This page lists a lot of reasons why it can be a good thing.
https://housemydog.com/blog/should-i-get-my-dog-neutered