Dog behaviourists and trainers denounce them; scientific research shows that they can cause severe interference and pain; and new research shows that dogs trained using confrontational methods will continue to be aggressive – so why are electric training devices still legal?
The Kennel Club is alerting the public to the imminent launch of the Welsh Assembly Government’s second consultation to ban the use of electric shock training devices, including collars, mats and leads, in Wales.
Following the Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones’s announcement in June of last year that she intends to ban the use of electric shock training devices, Wales is now clearly leading the way in the UK in legislating against their use. The formal second consultation will decide what sort of ban will be applied and how this will be implemented, and is due to be published in the coming weeks.
Mick Bates and the Kennel Club have long been campaigning for a complete ban on the sale and use of electric shock training devices across Wales. It is now clear that Wales is the only administration in the UK that is prepared at this stage to ban the use of such devices on welfare grounds. Both DEFRA and the Scottish Government are waiting for further research to be completed. This research is costing the Government a total of £469,000 at a time when Defra resources for companion animals are scarce. This despite the fact that the Welsh Assembly has taken the decision to ban the use of shock collars based on existing scientific evidence.
Pain and fear are not humane methods by which to train a dog. Good dog owners and trainers can train their dogs with praise rather than punishment. If the most highly trained dogs, such as assistance dogs and police and armed forces dogs, can be trained without the use of electric shock training devices, why can’t all dogs?
Positive methods train dogs quickly, easily and reliably, with absolutely no fear, pain, or damage to the relationship between the owner and the dog. There is no justification for electric shock training devices.
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