Dog training - use of handheld remote-controlled training devices (e-collars): report

Footnotes

1. e.g., Animal Health and Welfare Act (Scotland) 2006, Animal Welfare (Electronic Collars) (Wales) Regulations 2010.

2. citronella collar, electric shock collar, vibrating collar, prong collar, choke chain, pet corrector spray, water pistol or spray, homemade rattle, or noise devices.

3. Circumstances included in the Animals Act 1971 include if the dog is worrying or is about to worry the livestock and there are no other reasonable means of ending or preventing the worrying, or the dog has been worrying livestock, has not left the vicinity and is not under the control of any person and there are no practicable means of ascertaining to whom it belongs.

4. Dog adolescence falls within this age bracket during which time behaviour can regress, even if previous response to training has been successful.

5. Scottish Animal Welfare Commission - Ways of Working

6 .This line was amended from the original version, which incorrectly suggested that the questionnaire results were previously published separately on the SAWC web page.

7. British Small Animal Veterinary Association

8. SAWC acknowledges that the China (2020) paper referred to by the BVA has flaws in the experimental design. These are discussed in more detail in subsequent Sections of this report.

9. There are also concerns regarding predation and disturbance of wild animals (deer, nesting birds etc.) however the vast majority of evidence heard by SAWC was in regard to the use of e-collars to prevent predatory behaviour towards livestock.

10. It should be noted that stuffed kiwis were used in these studies and the work does not evidence efficacy of predation prevention towards live kiwi birds.

11. Abuse and misuse inevitably have a negative HBA. The pain is harmful and not necessary to procure any benefit (discounting the immoral enjoyment of cruelty).