SUPPORTING A BAN ON CRUEL TRAINING DEVICES - SHOCK COLLARS

I joined representatives from The Kennel Club UK, Dogs Trust, RSPCA (England & Wales), Battersea, British Veterinary Association - BVA, and Blue Cross UK to call for an end to the use of electric shock collars, or e-collars.

Whilst the UK Government has committed to a ban on these devices, there has been no progress on this and it is feared the commitment will be dropped completely.

Electric shock collars are used to train dogs by punishing unwanted behaviours through the application of a shock to the dog’s neck. However, studies have shown that these devices have a serious impact on the welfare of dogs, including behavioural and physiological signs of distress.

Robust research evidence shows that such techniques are not needed, with positive reinforcement being more effective at changing behaviour.

The Scottish Animal Welfare Commission (SAWC) has reported that “the use of such devices for the training of animals should be prohibited in Scotland.

The Scottish Government is now considering the wider aspects of this report and I am confident that e-collars will be banned in Scotland before too much longer.