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Call for ban on electric shock collars

The Scottish government is being urged to ban electric shock collars for dogs and cats.

The devices are operated by remote control and deliver a shock to pets as punishment for bad behaviour.

Animal welfare charities say the collars should be banned because they cause unnecessary suffering and are ineffective and unnecessary.

MSP Christine Grahame led a member's debate at Holyrood entitled "A Shocking Way to Treat a Dog".

The SNP politician told BBC Scotland: "I've had one put on my wrist and it was extremely painful and not the way to train an animal."

Animal protection charity OneKind is opposed to the use of e-collars along with a number of other animal welfare organisations including the Kennel Club, the Scottish Kennel Club, the Scottish SPCA, the RSPCA, the Dogs Trust, Guide Dogs for the Blind and the Blue Cross.

Libby Anderson, policy director at OneKind, said: "Studies have found negative welfare impacts on dogs trained using electric shock collars, even when used by a trained professional, and we cannot see any place for negative and aversive methods when positive, reward-based training is available."

The Welsh Assembly banned the use of e-collars in 2010 and imposed a penalty of a fine of up to Ł20,000 or up to six months imprisonment.

Ms Anderson added: "The Welsh Assembly has shown a positive and responsible attitude towards animal welfare in banning e-collars and we would encourage a similar drive towards this in Scotland.

"Dogs and people need to be kept safe and must be able to live harmoniously in their shared environment, so that the many benefits of canine companionship can be enjoyed by all.

"Measures such as microchipping, positive training programmes and a general dog licence can all play their part in improving standards of care, welfare and safety."

The Scottish government carried out a consultation in 2007 to gather the views of animal experts and organisations.
Article and photographs here...

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-...itics-30725965

If they are already banned in Wales, I wonder whether this ban will go through for Scotland as well, and if so, what about the rest of the UK?

Your comments and views:
cava14una
Dogsey Veteran
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,946
Female 
 
11-01-2015, 11:14 PM
Hope it does go through. England would have to ban them for themselves
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Azz
Administrator
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 18,574
Male 
 
11-01-2015, 11:37 PM
I hope the rest of the Uk follows Wales and bans them
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lovemybull
Dogsey Senior
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 974
Female 
 
12-01-2015, 03:03 AM
Unfortunately in the states they sell them all over the place. Yehoots, I never even considered they make them for cats too:0 But really I think they're a horrible thing, especially since it's so easy for some novice owner to get one and totally misuse it. In any case there are far better ways to train your pup.
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Gnasher
Dogsey Veteran
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,775
Female 
 
12-01-2015, 05:33 PM
Mmmm ... that's a bit strange. I posted a comment on here earlier on today about Ben's perianal fistulas and how the e collar saved his life, but it has seemingly disappeared. OK, I will try again.

E collars are not necessarily negative ... our e collar saved Ben's life recently. For several months or years he has been suffering unbeknown to us from perianal fistulas. Nothing we tried could stop him from literally eating his backside - no muzzle, no tool or gadget or training technique could stop him from licking and biting at his anus so badly that it was bleeding heavily. The only recourse left to us was the e collar - so we put it on him and watched from the kitchen window; he jumped up on our patio table, as was his usual habit, and almost immediately started to attack his backside. He received a low nick, and he immediately stopped the biting and looked around to see where we were hiding; he couldn't see us, so started again, and received another low nick. This time he stopped and jumped down off the table and howled at the door to be let back in. From that day to this, he has not attempted to eat his bottom - we left the muzzle on for another week to help break the vicious cycle, and now he is completely back to normal with a perfect bottom and no biting!

No if's, and's or buts ... we had no choice, everything we had tried failed. A couple of nicks or death? It was a no brainer and anyone who says otherwise is frankly talking through their *********.
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Chris
Dogsey Veteran
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 8,921
Female 
 
12-01-2015, 06:32 PM
The things really do need banning. They cause so much damage.

Sorry Gnasher, I didn't mention it in your other thread because, to be honest, I really couldn't be bothered with the ensuing debate that would have erupted, but to use a collar for a medical condition is way, way dangerous.

You got away with it and it caused a distraction from the habit, but it could have gone so horribly wrong.
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Gnasher
Dogsey Veteran
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,775
Female 
 
12-01-2015, 07:20 PM
We had absolutely no choice whatsoever chris. It was a case of stopping him eating himself or euthanasia. The smell alone was enough' forget about the pain and suffering of the poor dog ... He was a health hazard to us and our grandson. We didn't get away with ... We had no choice.
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Jackie
Dogsey Veteran
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 13,122
Female  Diamond Supporter 
 
12-01-2015, 07:40 PM
The sooner they are banned the better as far as I am concerned, those who use them always convince themselves they had no other option,
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mjfromga
Dogsey Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 5,680
Female 
 
12-01-2015, 11:31 PM
I'm American (duh) and they will likely never be banned here. They are hardly restricted.
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lovemybull
Dogsey Senior
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 974
Female 
 
13-01-2015, 02:09 AM
Something to consider...there was a show, some kind of singing competition with Johnny Knoxville hosting. One of the stunts was people had to wear dog shock collars while continuing to sing and perform activities. Quite exaggerated of course but those thing have gotta hurt.
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