Veterinarians in Nova Scotia will halt the “ethically unacceptable” practice of declawing domestic cats as they adopt a new code of ethics next spring.

The Nova Scotia Veterinary Medical Association said the code of ethics will come into effect on March 15, 2018 and prohibit veterinarians from declawing cats if there’s no medically necessary reason to do so.

A three-month “education period” about the new rules takes effect immediately, the society said in a news release.

Veterinarians will still be able to declaw cats that have diseased or infected nails, or other conditions that warrant the procedure.

Last March, the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association declared elective cat declawing surgery “unacceptable,” saying it causes unnecessary pain to animals.

Supporters of declawing – usually done to prevent cats from scratching people and furniture -- say there is nothing wrong with the procedure as long as it is performed properly under anesthesia.

But the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association says that scratching is normal cat behaviour and that felines need their claws for climbing, defending themselves and maintaining proper balance.

Dr. Paul Kendall, the medical director of the Halifax Veterinary Hospital, said cats carry 60 per cent of their body weight on their front paws. He said his facility banned cat declawing six years ago.

“There are behavioural issues that cats have with regards to declawing,” he told CTV Atlantic. “It can be very painful, and the research shows that there may be some long-term consequences.”

Dr. Hugh Chisholm, a retired veterinarian and animal activist, said the declawing ban announcement was “a huge moment of relief and excitement.”

He said the ban will give other provinces “the ammunition they need to say: ‘Look, these guys say that it’s inhumane -- how can we say otherwise?’”

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Suzette Belliveau and The Canadian Press