Please join the Kennel Club in calling upon the Government, Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly to introduce an outright ban on this barbaric method of training dogs.

The Kennel Club has long been campaigning for electric shock training devices to be completely banned across the UK.  Electric shock training devices train a dog to respond out of fear of further punishment, having received an electric shock when it does not perform what is asked of it, rather than from a natural willingness to obey.  In order for the devices to serve effectively as a training tool, the dog has to perceive the shock as painful - moreover if the dog does not respond, the punishment has to escalate, creating further potential for abuse.

The Kennel Club has welcomed recent consultations issued by the Scottish Government and Welsh Assembly Government seeking views on whether to ban electric shock training aids including collars, leads and mats.  For further details on how to get involved in the campaign please see the following sections below.

Scotland

The Scottish Government  issued a consultation seeking views on the use, sale, distribution and possession of electric shock collars and other such training devices including electric mats and electric leads in Scotland. The consultation closed on 30 November 2007 and the results of this consultation have yet to be published.  
In the meantime, the Kennel Club is urging all those who support the campaign and wish to see a ban in Scotland to write to your MSP and ask them to write to the responsible Minister, Richard Lochhead MSP, outlining their support for such a ban.  Your MSP can also sign Motion S3M-428 Electric Training Devices.  You can find out who your MSP is by visiting www.scottish.parliament.uk/msp/membersPages/msplocator.htm  

A standard form of words can be found by clicking the link below:

Suggested form of words to a MSP

Wales

The Welsh Assembly Government issued a consultation seeking views on the use of electric training aids in Wales. The consultation closed on 8 February 2008.

The Kennel Club is delighted that after many years of campaigning Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones has announced the Welsh Assembly Government will ban electric shock collars in Wales.

Said Elin Jones "After giving due consideration to the arguments, I propose to introduce a ban on the use of electric shock collars in Wales.” She further commented that Wales was “leading the way” with this ban now in place. Elin went on to explain that the ban would stand on any product that induces a shock from which a dog cannot escape. 

This is the first ban of its kind in the UK with Ministers praising the Kennel Club for their relentless pursuit of this subject. Speaking after the announcement Trish Law (AM for Blaenau Gwent) commented “I must just pay tribute to those individuals and groups who have successfully lobbied for a ban, in particular the Kennel Club which has diligently and tirelessly relayed with clarity to AMs its inarguable case for a ban.”

Westminster

Although there has been no consultation issued by DEFRA the Kennel Club remains committed to keeping the issue high on the political agenda.

David Drew MP has tabled an Early Day Motion on the issue and the Kennel Club is encouraging people to write to their MP asking them to sign EDM 288 to show their support for the issue.

You can find out who your MP is by visiting www.upmystreet.com/commons/l/

You can also talk to your MP at his or her surgery and you may find our Surgery Guide useful:

MP's Surgery Pack

YouTube clip of man with electric shock collar

In this video clip (about half way through) you will see a man put a shock collar on himself to see if it hurts. This clip does not feature any electric shock training devices being used on animals. The person in the video has lent his support to the campaign after learning what the device does and has said he would never use one on his dog.

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