The Kennel Club is giving its full backing to the comments made yesterday (Wednesday 31st January) by the Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP who has called for a ban on electric shock collars for dogs.
In a video posted on Ross Thomson MP’s twitter account, the Foreign Secretary states: “I am absolutely shocked to discover that electric collars are being used on dogs as utensils of discipline and education. There are far better ways of training your dog. Just as you don’t need to cane children any more, we’ve moved on from that – let’s move on from electric shock dog collars.”
These devices have been banned in Wales since 2010 and last week the Scottish government announced plans to follow suit, following campaigns from Maurice Golden MSP, Ben Macpherson MSP, the Kennel Club and other animal welfare organisations. Members of all political parties are now calling on the UK government to follow this example and ban the use and sale of electric shock collars.
A petition has been set up on the UK Parliament website calling on the UK Government to ban the sale of electronic training aids for dogs. If the petition reaches 10,000 signatures the government will issue a response on the topic and if it reaches 100,000 signatures there will be a debate in Westminster. Please sign the petition here: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/211524.
Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said: “We are pleased to see that support for a ban on the sale and use of shock collars has been supported by the Foreign Secretary and MPs from all parties. Leading academics, vets, behaviourists and welfare organisations all support a ban on the sale and use of these barbaric devices. Kennel Club research shows that 73% of the British public are against the use of electric shock collars and 74% would support the British government to introduce a ban on their use. We hope that DEFRA legislates a ban on these devices as soon as possible.”