Another step towards humane dog treatment! England is set to ban shock collar devices in February 2024 after a decade-long advocacy campaign.
Kennel Club, the leading campaigning advocate against shock collars, openly welcomed the government's decision to ban the devices.
Mark Beazley, chief executive of The Kennel Club stated, “The legislation banning electric shock collars in England, which comes into force next year, is a historic moment for animal welfare and will put an end to the misery and suffering of countless dogs who are still subject to these cruel and unnecessary devices.”
Beazley added, “There is simply no excuse for using these devices, which cause physical and psychological harm, especially given the vast array of positive training methods available.
“This is the culmination of over a decade of campaigning for us, and we applaud DEFRA for helping to safeguard the welfare of our nation’s much-loved dogs,” he continues.
The new law came following a public consultation about the controversial device that ended in 2018.
At that time, Wales had already banned the shock collars in 2010.
France also banned e-collars in January 2023, while Northern Ireland strongly advises against aversive training methods such as electronic collars.
The Kennel Club will double down on its campaign to add the same regulations in Scotland too.
“More action is urgently needed in Scotland, where regulations are needed to replace the ineffective guidance currently in place, and we will not rest until we see the complete ban on these devices that cause suffering and harm,” Beazley emphasizes.
On March 2023, the dog organization hosted a drop-in session for Scottish Parliament Members, particularly Christine Grahame, together with the Scottish SPCA.
Shock collars are aversive training methods that use electric shocks to control the desirable behavior of dogs.
However, a 2019 study at the University of Lincoln proved that these shock collars severely harm the dog even at the lowest setting of shock.
The same study also proved that negative reinforcement training is less effective than positive reinforcement-based training.
The Kennel Club estimates that half a million dogs or roughly will be freed from this type of cruelty across England.
