The use and sale of electric shock collars is not currently banned in England, although the UK government has already announced its intention to introduce a legislative ban. Fortunately for human dog rights advocates, the government had already promised a ban on these collars in 2018. In August of the same year, a ban was even proposed, with Michael Gove claiming that collars cause “harm and suffering” to pets. The collars can continuously emit painful shocks for 11 seconds. In March 2018, Michael Gove said: “We are now proposing to ban the use of electric shock collars to improve animal welfare.” Electronic training collars for dogs and cats will be banned under new legislation announced today A DEFRA-funded study in 2014 showed that shock collars can harm the well-being of dogs by causing them unnecessary harm and suffering. Recent studies have come to similar conclusions, pointing out that using the device poses a risk to the dog`s well-being and causes unnecessary suffering, and pointing out that there is little evidence of improved behavioral outcomes. Research has shown that 25% of dogs trained with electric shock collars show signs of stress, compared to less than 5% of dogs trained without the device. She said: “It is both unnecessary and cruel to resort to the use of these collars in dogs. Electric shock collars for dogs and cats must be banned in the UK, the government has confirmed. A spokesman for the company told the broadcaster: “In modern society, there is no excuse or necessity for the use of devices that can compromise the welfare of cats and dogs, especially when humane and viable alternatives to training and housing dogs and cats are available.” Michael Gove, the environment secretary, has received backlash to the ban, with critics claiming the politician had made a “full 180.” According to The Independent, Gove`s department commissioned studies on the harmful nature of electric shock collars in February, with little supporting evidence found. As part of its action plan, the government also announced its intention to crack down on puppy smuggling and illegal imports. The importation of young puppies into the UK, often illegally, raises concerns about the welfare and exploitation of the animals, including transport conditions, puppy breeding and illegal smuggling. “It`s time to put electric shock collars in the history books because they have no place in modern pet ownership.” A poorly programmed shock can easily create new fears that didn`t exist from the beginning.

Imagine shocking your dog because he ran away from you, but at that very moment, your dog is looking at a child. In the blink of an eye, your dog has paired children suffering from pain and who knows what problems this can lead to. The other pitfall of using such devices is that the dog does not always understand what to do so as not to be shocked – instead, the dog begins to fear coming and becomes desperate and anxious as a result. It is impossible for a dog to learn anything constructive under these circumstances. Shock collars have always been controversial tools for dog training. These are small bands that can send electric shocks to a dog as a training method. But are they legal for use in the UK? The answer is complicated. Positive relationships based on trust are very important for dogs and we know that they can learn fantastically well if they are trained with friendly and reward-based methods.

With the knowledge we have now, there is no need to resort to electric shock collars. Remote-controlled electronic training collars (e-collars) have a remote device that triggers an electronic pulse that can vary in strength, while others can spray a harmful chemical. In addition to the abuse of inflicting unnecessary harm and suffering, there is also evidence that e-collars can redirect aggression or create fear-based behavior in pets – exacerbating underlying behavioral and health problems. Technically, yes, it`s legal, but it probably won`t take long. In addition, the government has announced a ban, and animal welfare organizations such as the RSPCA and the Dogs Trust have said the devices cause “pain and suffering” in animals, so the use of collars – while still legal – is not encouraged. They have been banned in Wales. The ban on shock collars was proposed by law in August 2018, with Michael Gove claiming that collars cause “harm and suffering” to pets. However, the Minister of the Environment is strongly committed to this decision. “We are a nation of animal lovers,” the politician said in a statement.

“And the use of penalty collars causes harm and suffering to our pets. This ban will improve animal welfare, and I urge pet owners to use positive reward training methods instead. “We are also concerned that other aversive training methods have the potential to cause suffering in dogs and cats. These include electric containment fences, choke collars, choke chains, and pen collars, as well as anti-bark collars that use sounds, vibrations, ultrasound, or a water or lemongrass spray. Rachel Casey, director of canine behaviour and research at the Dogs Trust, said the charity was “appalled” that it is still legal to buy and use electric shock collars in England. Are shock collars legal in England and Scotland? Electric shock collars are currently legal in Scotland. However, in 2018, the Scottish Government issued guidelines advising against the use of these devices and other aversive training methods. Unfortunately, the evidence suggests that this guide has not been effective in ending the use of these devices across the country. “It is both unnecessary and cruel to use these collars in dogs, and we are absolutely opposed to this – they not only cause discomfort, but can also have serious negative effects on their mental and physical well-being.

In May 2021, defra (the Ministry of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) announced in its Animal Welfare Action Plan that it would ban remote-controlled electronic training collars because they can harm cats and dogs. Claire Stallard, an animal behavior researcher at Blue Cross, explains why we need to take this opportunity to ban the sale and use of electric shock collars and other aversive devices in pets. England and Scotland have promised to ban shock collars. But are they still legal? Electric shock collars were banned in Wales more than a decade ago in 2010.