Banning of ecollars

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Lynn
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Location: Lincolnshire

Banning of ecollars

Post by Lynn »

The below quote is taken from a face book page

"Debate on shock collars in house of commons later

From what I can tell it was a 10 minute presentation of his bill to ban shock collars. From all the articles/things I have seen since look quite positive "


The above IS NOT a view held by myself as I personally believe they are a useful training tool used by a knowledgeable person.

Just wondered if anyone had heard the programme as I didn't.
scotsgent
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Re: Banning of ecollars

Post by scotsgent »

From the 'Huffington Post' today:

This article is by Mathew Offord, Tory MP for Hendon

As a dog lover, and proud owner of Maximus - a very loyal, cheeky and charming jack russell - I would never want to see pain or fear, in any shape or form, inflicted upon them. After all, dogs are called man's best friend for a reason and we need to make sure we treat them as such. This is why I am supporting the Kennel Club and Dogs Trust, two major dog welfare organisations, in their campaign to have electric shock collars banned throughout the rest of the UK as they are in Wales, and am questioning why the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) are continuing to ignore its own research on these devices.

Because of this, today I will be standing up in the House of Commons and calling for a ban on the sale and use of electric shock collars, through a Ten Minute Rule Bill. Ten Minute Rule Bills can be used to voice concerns on the need to change the law on a particular subject, and the process will allow me to express the need for an outright ban and to gauge the opinion of Parliament on this important issue - one which has a strong bearing on dog welfare.

A number of research studies have found electric shock collars to be unnecessary in the training of dogs and most recently two pieces of Defra-funded research, carried out by teams at the University of Lincoln and University of Bristol, show that these collars can cause negative behavioural and physiological changes in dogs and are open to misuse by users of them. Should this be ignored? Should we turn away from all those dogs being subjected to short and sharp or prolonged electric shocks to 'correct' their undesirable behaviour? I for one am not willing to, and along with the Kennel Club and Dogs Trust, will continue to campaign against these until they are, like most barbaric practises carried throughout history, a distant memory.

Some 300,000 electric shock collars were reportedly in use across the UK in 2012 according to the University of Lincoln. That means that there are potentially 300,000 dogs who are being subjected to pain that they don't understand, by owners who may not even know how to use one of these collars. When I think of someone treating Maximus like this, it gives me all the boost I need to oppose shock collars. If you have a dog, and could deal with behavioural issues through positive, reward-based methods would you feel comfortable shocking him hoping to get results?

When a dog gets shocked, it has no idea what has caused the pain, and is far more likely to associate it with something in its immediate environment that with its own behaviour at the time, which is why it is common for dogs to attack other dogs, their owner or another animal close by at the time of the shock. These devices are wholly unnecessary, and avoiding them could ensure you are doing your part towards improving dog welfare. If you have a dog with behavioural issues, check out reward-based training methods first - if it's good enough for the police, the armed forces and assistance dogs organisations, whose dogs are widely regarded as being some of the most well trained in the world - then it must be worth sticking with.
Miesque
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Re: Banning of ecollars

Post by Miesque »

I have a dog that wore an e collar. He would undoubtably be dead without it (confirmed livestock worrier before I got him).
station8
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Re: Banning of ecollars

Post by station8 »

more big brother sh#t from another useless dead wood mp!
Judy
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Re: Banning of ecollars

Post by Judy »

That told him then! :lol: To be fair 100% of the people I have seen using them should be banned from having them although I do think they have their place for some things such as livestock chasing. I'm sure there is no place for them on shoots although I see them far too often - if the dog is unsteady either train it or use a flippin lead!
Anyway, I digress, sorry folks.
In life, it is important to know when to stop arguing with people and simply let them be wrong.
leeky
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Re: Banning of ecollars

Post by leeky »

Judy wrote:That told him then! :lol: To be fair 100% of the people I have seen using them should be banned from having them although I do think they have their place for some things such as livestock chasing. I'm sure there is no place for them on shoots although I see them far too often - if the dog is unsteady either train it or use a flippin lead!
Anyway, I digress, sorry folks.
Like!

I wonder how many people who, like me, have struggled for so long to get their timing correct with a CLICKER to teach loose leash, or to improve recall by building focus, then go on to buy an ecollar as a quick answer to "problems" :(
ImageImageImage
Miesque
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Re: Banning of ecollars

Post by Miesque »

Interestingly, the two people I have seen using them who seem to have the timing correct (dog is happy to have collar on, obaid it, seems outgoing and not brow beaten) are all horse people. I wonder do you learn timing of aids/correction/commands more quickly when the consequences are half a ton of animal dumping you or getting bolshy?
farmboy

Re: Banning of ecollars

Post by farmboy »

300,000 collars in the U.K.,how many of you know of someone who owns one? :o You allow this man to make laws for you? :think:
Rascal
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Re: Banning of ecollars

Post by Rascal »

Yup a bit like the hunting ban.... :roll:

Rascal
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Nonehpets
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Re: Banning of ecollars

Post by Nonehpets »

... and if they progress to the measures being mooted in Scotland - muzzling of all dogs in public places :o

Not sure why we ever worried about mad cow disease because mad human disease if rife and heading for a pandemic :(

Still at least our dogs don't have to live with politicians - unlike poor wee Maximus ... can you imagine that little dog's shame when he goes out for his morning constitutional at the local park in Hendon? :roll:

Cathy
There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it. Edith Wharton
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