Electric Shock Dog Collars In The UK - How Shocked Are You? Kennel Club Calls For A Complete Ban

Would you believe it if you knew that dogs all over the UK, have electric shocks put into their necks by their owners, and even dog trainers? Well unfortunately its true – manufacturers and some trainers are advocating the use of remote controlled electric collars including dog trainers. Shock collars work by emitting painful shocks to the dog, increasing in pain level as the dog continues its ‘undesirable’ behaviour and by pressing a button, the shock is transmitted to the dog’s neck via two large prongs. They train a dog to respond out of fear of further punishment rather than through a natural willingness to obey through positive training. Electric shock collars are readily available to anyone – with or without the knowledge of the harm they can do. And the marketing of shock collars can easily convince people that they are a fast ‘cure-all’ to every behavioural problem. Those that have seen the affect of electric shock collars know of the damage they cause both in the short and long term. For example: Anjelica Steinker, of the Courteous Canine Dog School and Doggie Gym said; “A friend of mine rescued a Jack Russell Terrier after a professional dog trainer had used an electric shock collar to help house train her. When the terrier came to my friend she was very fearful of urinating and constantly checked herself, presumably for urine. It took several months to housetrain this dog because of all the fear that was caused by the shock collar”. Pat Miller wrote for The Whole-Dog-Journal.com; “Rufus was a typical adolescent Labrador Retriever: Rufus’s energy was a bit much for the younger children. A pet supply store (sold) a product that promised to solve problems with the push of a button. One rainy afternoon, a neighbour, sent his son out to the pen to take Rufus for a walk. Rufus wouldn’t let the boy get near him. He said Rufus had this green colour round his neck under the training collar. I carefully removed the collar to find a huge gaping hole in Rufus’ neck, under one of the prongs”. Dr Susan Benson of the Animal Medical Centre in Preston, Idaho who treated Rufus’ injuries claimed: “This was one of the worst electrical burns I have seen other than dogs who have had contact with high power lines.” Shock collars fail to address underlying behavioural problems and can give rise to more serious problems. Confusion over where the painful shock has come from means the dog is more likely to associate it with something in its immediate environment than with its behaviour at the time. This can make attacks on owners, other dogs and animals more likely. Independent scientific research confirms that the collars are both ‘painful and frightening’, and influence the dog’s well being negatively in the long term. The Kennel Club wants to see a complete ban on their sale and use. Local MP Timothy Farron, Liberal Democrat whose constituency is Westmorland and Lonsdale, has already signed the Early Day Mention supporting the Kennel Club call for a ban. He is clearly opposed to the collars and says; “Pain and fear are not humane methods by which to train a dog. There are positive training tools and methods which train dogs quickly, easily and reliably, with absolutely no fear, pain, or damage. These include recall training, clicker training and retractable leads. With these alternatives available, there is no justification for electric shock collars.” Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary concluded, “There is strong political support for a ban from across the parties, and the UK, with Wales and Scotland having made commitments to consider a complete ban. However more MPs are needed to sign the EDM to keep up the momentum of the campaign, until a ban is brought into place in England.” The Kennel Club has produced a standard letter to help people contact and encourage their MPs to sign the early day motion. This letter should be sent to their local MP’s office and/or Animal Welfare Minister, Ben Bradshaw MP. The KC has also produced a guide on how to lobby MPs about electric shock collars. To receive a copy of the letter and the guide, please contact Laura on 020 7518 1020 or [email protected] or visit www.thekennelclub.org.uk and click on press office / campaigns and schemes. The Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT), the UK’s largest professional pet dog training body, is also joining the fight. According to the APDT there is no behaviour or training problem in dogs that is best dealt with by delivering an electric shock to a dog’s neck. So please support the campaign for a ban, and protect dogs from electric shock collars, by contacting your MP and asking him/her to pledge support to the Kennel Club’s shock collar campaign by signing the Early Day Motion. Establishments that have already banned electric shock collars, include the Association of Chief Police Officers, the armed forces and the two largest German Shepherd Dog Clubs in the country - they have imposed a voluntary ban on the use of electric shock collars to train their dogs.

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