quote from PDSA
PDSA wholeheartedly supports the move by the Welsh Assembly to ban the use of controversial electric shock dog collars.
The leading vet charity would like to see the use of any electronic training aids outlawed, as they rely on pain and distress to get results. The potential for misuse is very high and there are plenty of alternative training methods that are both humane and effective.
PDSA Senior Vet, Sean Wensley, says: “Dogs should never be trained using punishment. Owners should only use positive training methods, where good behaviour is rewarded, instead of punishing bad behaviour.
“Punishment causes anxiety, pain and fear – emotions which have been proven to significantly slow down the learning process. In addition, dogs that are punished learn that people can’t be trusted which can lead to a whole range of behavioural problems.”
Quote from Kennel Club
he Kennel Club has long been campaigning for electric shock training devices to be completely banned across the UK. Electric shock training devices train a dog to respond out of fear of further punishment, having received an electric shock when it does not perform what is asked of it, rather than from a natural willingness to obey. In order for the devices to serve effectively as a training tool, the dog has to perceive the shock as painful - moreover if the dog does not respond, the punishment has to escalate, creating further potential for abuse.
The Kennel Club has welcomed a recent consultation issued by the Scottish Government seeking views on whether to ban electric shock training aids including collars, leads and mats. For further details on how to get involved in the campaign please see the following sections below.
Scotland
The Scottish Government issued a consultation seeking views on the use, sale, distribution and possession of electric shock collars and other such training devices including electric mats and electric leads in Scotland. The consultation closed on 30 November 2007 and the results of this consultation have yet to be published.
In the meantime, the Kennel Club is urging all those who support the campaign and wish to see a ban in Scotland to write to your MSP and ask them to write to the responsible Minister, Richard Lochhead MSP, outlining their support for such a ban. Your MSP can also sign Motion S3M-428 Electric Training Devices. You can find out who your MSP is by visiting
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/ms...msplocator.htm
A standard form of words can be found by clicking the link below:
Suggested form of words to a MSP
Wales
After four years of campaigning, the Kennel Club is delighted to announce that the Welsh Assembly has now banned the use of electric shock collars across Wales.
The Animal Welfare (Electronic Collars) (Wales) Regulations 2010 came into force on Wednesday 24th March 2010. The National Assembly for Wales unanimously voted in favour of the regulations making the ban the first of its kind in the UK, and the first piece of secondary regulation to be introduced in Wales under the Animal Welfare Act. For a full press release on the issue click here.
The ban follows an announcement on 24th February 2010 by the Rural Affairs Minister, Elin Jones, in which she laid the legislation before the Assembly, who considered and agreed the legislation before the ban was implemented. See our press release on the issue here.
Said Elin Jones "After giving due consideration to the arguments, I propose to introduce a ban on the use of electric shock collars in Wales.” She further commented that Wales was “leading the way” with this ban now in place. Elin went on to explain that the ban would stand on any product that induces a shock from which a dog cannot escape.
A YouGov survey about Electric Shock Collars, commissioned by the Kennel Club in 2009, that 70% disapproved of the use of electric shock collars on dogs, with only 9% of people approving of their use.
This is the first ban of its kind in the UK with Ministers praising the Kennel Club for their relentless pursuit of this subject. Speaking after the announcement Trish Law (AM for Blaenau Gwent) commented “I must just pay tribute to those individuals and groups who have successfully lobbied for a ban, in particular the Kennel Club which has diligently and tirelessly relayed with clarity to AMs its inarguable case for a ban.”
However, after a milestone victory for dogs in Wales, the Kennel Club is disappointed to learn of the intention of the Electronic Collar Manufacturers Association to seek a Judicial Review on the Welsh Assembly Government’s decision to ban shock collars. Click here for more details.
Westminster
Although there has been no consultation issued by DEFRA the Kennel Club remains committed to keeping the issue high on the political agenda.
David Drew MP has tabled an Early Day Motion on the issue and the Kennel Club is encouraging people to write to their MP asking them to sign EDM 288 to show their support for the issue.
You can find out who your MP is by visiting
www.upmystreet.com/commons/l/
You can also talk to your MP at his or her surgery and you may find our Surgery Guide useful:
PDF IconMP's Surgery Pack
This link also allows you to write to your MP and encourages them to respond:
http://www.writetothem.com/
You can find the electric shock collar campaign time line by clicking the link below:
Electric Shock Collar Campaign timeline
YouTube clip of man with electric shock collar
In this video clip (about half way through) you will see a man put a shock collar on himself to see if it hurts. This clip does not feature any electric shock training devices being used on animals. The person in the video has lent his support to the campaign after learning what the device does and has said he would never use one on his dog.