New ban on prong collars in training

THE Queensland Government has proposed new laws banning the use of prong collars (pictured) as a dog-training tool, citing animal welfare concerns.

Amendments to the Animal Care and Protection Act will be introduced to the Queensland Parliament this week with a vote likely later this year.

Toowoomba Dog Obedience Club president Keith McGinn welcomed the move, saying the club had never supported using prong collars.

“They are not that common and usually only registered and professional dog trainers would use them,” he said.

The collars have blunt barbs that press against the dog’s neck if it tries to pull away from its master. They worked in a similar way to a choke collar and while they could be effective in stopping a dog from pulling away, Mr McGinn said they needed to be fitted appropriately.

“If somebody sees a dog working really well with a prong collar, they think, ‘I’ll get one’, but they don’t get the training,” he said.

When passed, the amendments would also ban the feral pig bait, yellow phosphorus.

On average the chemical takes about 2-4 days to kill a baited pig and has been criticised both as inhumane and prone to significant risks for non-target poisoning of other animals including natives.

The government has also proposed strengthening enforcement powers for animal welfare inspectors and allowing cattle pregnancy testing by accredited laypeople.

The proposed changes were based on more than 2300 submissions made in a review of the act by individuals and com- munity stakeholders.