‘Cruel’ electric shock dog collars to be banned in Scotland

Ministers have bowed to demands to ban electric shock dog collars.

The controversial training device will be outlawed in Scotland, the SNP administration said yesterday.

It marks a change of tack from the Government, which decided against a ban less than two years ago in favour of increased regulation.

Roseanna Cunningham, pictured, the environment secretary, said: “After carefully considering the concerns raised by stakeholders and the public about electronic training collars for dogs, particularly the ready availability on the internet of cheap devices which can be bought by anyone and used to deliver painful electric shocks, I have decided to take steps to effectively and promptly ban their use in Scotland.

“Causing pain to dogs by inappropriate training methods is clearly completely unacceptable and I want there to be no doubt that painful or unpleasant training for dogs will not be tolerated.”

The effective ban is included in draft guidance that will form part of the Animal Health and Welfare Scotland Act (2006).

Electric collars are used to train animals with behavioural problems, but have been dubbed “cruel and unnecessary”.

The move to ban the devices north of the border was welcomed by charities and campaigners.

Harry Huyton, director of animal charity OneKind, said: “Electric shock collars are cruel, unnecessary and ineffective.

Mark Ruskell, for the Scottish Greens, said the Scottish Government has made a sudden U-turn.

Tory MSP Maurice Golden, who collected 20,000 signatures calling for the ban, said: “I’m glad that our campaigning has finally forced the SNP to see sense on this issue.”