A new bill signed by Gov. Maura Healey on Thursday will ban the practice of declawing cats in Massachusetts, a victory for animal rights activists who view declawing as inhumane.

Declawing, also known as onychectomy, is a surgical procedure to remove the cats claws by means of amputating the distal phalange bones in the cat’s toes. Advocates in support of the ban say the practice is akin to amputating a human finger down to the last knuckle, and can lead to other complications for the cat such as nerve damage and chronic back pain.

“This bill is critically important for the protecting animals from this cruel practice,” said Stephanie Harris, a senior legislative affairs manager for the Animal Legal Defense Fund advocacy group. “It protects cats, but it also protects consumers who may have a lack of knowledge about what this procedure really does.”

The law makes offenders subject to a fine of not more than $1,000 for a first offense, $1,500 for a second offense and $2,500 for a third or subsequent offense. Exceptions to the law apply in situations of medical necessity, such as cancer in the cat’s nail bed.

The law, known as the Act Prohibiting Inhumane Feline Declawing, was signed by Healey on Jan. 9, after the bill had passed on the last day of the two-year legislative session on Dec. 31. The bill had been sponsored by state Sen. Mark Montigny, of New Bedford and state Rep. Tackey Chan of Quincy, and had been in the works since at least 2019.

“Declawing is an abhorrent practice that most veterinarians view as inhumane, but it is also a procedure that is widely misunderstood and requested by owners,” Montigny said in a statement. “Veterinarians will no longer have to weigh the choice knowing that if they don’t provide the procedure, an owner is likely to just look for someone who will.”

With the signing, Massachusetts becomes the third state to ban the practice, along with New York and Maryland. Several other laws exist at a local level in several cities, such as Los Angeles, Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C. Many countries around the world have banned the practice outright, including the United Kingdom, Brazil and Germany.

A similar bill also is in the works in neighboring Rhode Island. Harris said with the bill in Massachusetts signed into law, the Rhode Island bill will be a priority for the Animal Legal Defense Fund going forward.

“We’re glad to be working with our sponsors in Rhode Island and hope that the bill moves further this session than it did last session,” Harris said. “It passed in one chamber but not in the other, so it will be a focus of ours to advance that as best we can.”

Other animal rights related bills passed in the previous session include laws restricting the use of wild animals in circuses, dogs entrusted to day care facilities, and puppies and kittens too young to be separated from their mothers.

Alexander MacDougall can be reached at amacdougall@gazettenet.com.