Blue Cross asks Michael Gove when England will ban electric shock collars

Blue Cross has today written an open letter to Michael Gove to clarify Westminster’s position on a ban on electric shock collars for England following the decision by Scotland to outlaw the cruel and unnecessary devices.

We are calling for Westminster to follow in the steps of Scotland and Wales to outlaw the use of the devices in England as soon as possible to prevent further animals from suffering.

Our call echoes those by MSPs for a ban on the supply and sale of electric shock collars by Westminster.

In his letter to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Blue Cross Deputy Chief Executive Steve Goody asked what plans Defra has to look at the issues around aversive training methods and whether a ban on the use of electric shock collars will be forthcoming.

He also warned that England faced “lagging behind” on such a serious animal welfare issue.

The use of electric shock collars has been banned in Wales since 2010. Scotland had planned to “regulate” rather than ban the use of electric shock collars but after coming under pressure from animal welfare charities and MSPs has now taken the decision to ban them.

Mr Goody said Blue Cross would be happy to meet with the Defra team to discuss our charity’s concerns in more detail.

Blue Cross's letter in full:

25 January 2018

Dear Secretary of State

As I am sure you are aware, yesterday the Scottish Government announced that they would be banning the use of electronic shock collars. This is an extremely positive move for animal welfare in Scotland. 

As an organisation we have long campaigned for a ban on electric shock collars as they and their use are a serious animal welfare issue. They are outdated, impact negatively on animal welfare and have no place in 21st century dog training. Blue Cross strongly believes that the only effective way to train a dog is through positive reinforcement. There is no evidence that shock devices deliver better and more effective results than using positive methods for training. Further, we know causing pain to a dog has a detrimental effect on the relationship between owner and pet and can cause problems such as anxiety-related issues. We believe all adverse training methods compromise welfare and are therefore in contravention of the Animal Welfare Act.  

Electric shock collars have been banned in Wales since 2010 and we expect the ban to be in place in Scotland later this year. This will leave England lagging behind on this important issue. I would be grateful if you could advise what plans Defra has to look at the issues around aversive training methods and whether a ban on the use of electric shock collars will be forthcoming. 

We would be happy to meet with a member of the Defra team to discuss our concerns in more detail. 

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely 

Steve Goody 
Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Chief Executive