Potential controls or prohibition of electronic training aids for dogs in Scotland: consultation

Part IV: Consultation questions

All the consultation questions are listed below. When considering these, we ask that you take into consideration the information provided in this document alongside any other knowledge or personal experiences that could be relevant. All opinions are welcome.

We ask that you use either the online Citizenspace facility or the consultation questionnaire provided to respond to this consultation as this will help with our analysis of responses. Please try to answer all the questions; however if you are unable to answer any particular question then please feel free to move on to the next. The questionnaire and on-line facility will also ask questions relating to your interest in this matter and where you currently reside; this will aid in the analysis of the responses to this consultation.

In order for us to deal with your response appropriately in terms of making responses publically available, please ensure that you complete a Respondent Information Form. This will ensure that if you ask for your response not to be published that we regard it as confidential and will treat it accordingly.

Evidence on electronic training aids

This section gives you the opportunity to provide us with any information you may have on any misuse or positive outcomes of the use of electronic training collars

Consultation question 1 - Do you have evidence of any intentional or unintentional misuse or abuse of any type of electronic training aids in Scotland? If yes, please provide details, including which type of collar or device.

Consultation question 2 - Do you have evidence of positive outcomes following the use of electronic training aids in Scotland? If yes, please provide details, including which type of collar or device.

Existing animal welfare protection

Currently, the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006, section 19 and 24, makes it an offence to cause a protected animal "unnecessary suffering" and to fail to meet the needs of an animal.

Consultation question 3 - Do you believe that this is sufficient to protect animals who wear electronic training aids? Please explain why.

Consultation question 4 - Do you think that Scottish Government guidance or a statutory welfare code is required? Please explain why and what you would like to see in place.

Ban or regulations

This section will allow us to gather views on a potential ban or stricter regulations.

Consultation question 5 - Thinking about the current legislation, which one of the following do you think is necessary: a complete ban of certain devices; stricter regulations; a combination of bans and stricter regulations depending on devices; Scottish Government guidance or a statutory welfare code; nothing, current legislation is sufficient? Please explain why.

Potential ban

Consultation question 6 - In your opinion, which, if any of the devices listed should be banned? Please explain why.

Potential regulation

Consultation question 7 - In your opinion, which, if any, of the devices listed require regulation? Please explain why.

Consultation question 8 - If the use of electronic training aids was regulated, what conditions should be required for the authorisation of their use? Please explain why you think that this is necessary.

Consultation question 9 - If the use of electronic training aids was regulated, which bodies would be best placed to authorise the use of electronic training aids? Please explain why.

Use and financial impact

This section is seeking information to inform any business and regulatory impact assessment that may be required.

You are requested to only answer the questions that are applicable to you.

Pet owners

Consultation question 10 - Have you ever bought an electronic training device? If yes, please specify which device(s) you have purchased.

Consultation question 11 - From where did you purchase your device?

Consultation question 12 - How much did your device cost?

Manufacturers/retailers

We would like information on how introducing a ban or regulations would affect your business in the collar industry.

Consultation question 13 - Would your business/company be affected by any ban or stricter regulations put on the use in Scotland of any of the electronic training aids listed? Please provide details of any effect on your business/organisation.

Consultation question 14 - If known, how many of the listed electronic training aids has your business sold to users in Scotland within the 2014/15 financial year?

Consultation question 15 - If known, please provide an approximate annual profit obtained from sales of electronic training devices per year. If possible, please indicate what proportion of those sales was in Scotland or the UK.

Dog trainers/behaviourists/manufacturers/retailers

This section allows you to provide information on the use of electronic devices in Scotland.

Consultation question 16 - Would a ban or restriction in Scotland on the use of any of the electronic training aids listed have an effect on your business or organisation? Please provide details of any effect on your business/organisation.

Consultation question 17 - Please describe what effect restricting the use of electronic collars to authorised persons would have on your business or organisation.

Pet behaviourists/pet trainers

We would like you to provide information on the use of electronic collars in Scotland

Consultation question 18 - Approximately how many dogs did you recommend the use of electronic training collars for in Scotland in 2014?

Consultation question 19 - If you sometimes recommend the use of an electronic training collar, generally, do you provide the electronic training collars or do owners purchase the collar themselves?

About the consultation

While we have done our best to explain the issues facing us clearly, there may be aspects that you feel that we have not explained well or have not covered at all.

The following questions in this consultation paper are to provide you with the opportunity to raise such points, and to provide us with feedback on the consultation itself.

Consultation question 20 - Please provide any other comments you may wish to add on a potential ban or regulation of electronic training devices.

Consultation question 21 - Do you consider that that consultation explained the key issues sufficiently to properly consider your responses?

Consultation question 22 - Do you consider that you had sufficient time to respond to the consultation?

Consultation question 23 - Do you have any other comments on the way this consultation has been conducted?