Vets call for ban on electric ‘shock collars’

Training a dog using kind, effective and safe techniques is essential for their wellbeing; training allows a dog to understand the expectations of our human world, and learning basic commands like ‘sit’ and recall can prevent them from getting into scrapes or causing injuries to others, even if that damage is coming from a place of well-meaning enthusiasm. On another level, many dogs are trained each year for roles in the army, emergency services or as assistance dogs for humans. As dog training methods have developed, and with animal welfare science increasingly able to inform us about dogs’ wants and needs based on their perceptions of the world around them, so has our understanding and attitudes towards humane and effective training techniques.

The electric ‘shock collar’ was developed about 50 years ago, to train dogs by delivering electric pulses to the dog wearing the device when the owner saw the dog performing unwanted behaviour. Some, but not all, collars deliver warning vibrations before finally delivering an electric pulse. Yet research by such as Shalke, Stichnoth and Jones-Baade (2005) shows that the application of electric stimuli, even at a low level, can cause physiological and behavioural responses associated with stress, pain and fear in dogs. On reviewing the published evidence available on this topic, BVA and BSAVA agreed there were too many animal welfare risks to not call for a complete ban on the sale or use of these devices.