New proposed legislation in Michigan would make it illegal for residents to declaw their house cats.

State Rep. Nate Shannon (D) is the sponsor of H.B. 5508, which would prohibit any surgical procedure that prevents normal claw functioning in cats.

Violators of the ban would be slapped with fines of up to $1,000, mlive.com reports.

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Declawing has long been viewed as controversial by veterinarians and animal rights groups. The American Veterinary Medical Association defines it as surgical amputation and formally discourages its use.

In July, New York became the first state in the country to ban the procedure.

“Owning a pet is a big decision, but abusing an animal and causing them long-term persistent pain to make caring for them easier for the pet owner is unacceptable,” Shannon said in a statement. “I want to encourage responsible and ethical pet ownership with this bill.”