Dog owners in the dark

Collar ban laws create confusing grey area

DOG owners have been left frustrated and confused over proposed new law changes that would dictate what collars or restraints would be legal for their beloved pups.

The state government last week introduced range of amendments to Queensland’s animal welfare laws, including a ban on “prong collars”.

But some keen-eyed owners have questioned why a second line was added afterwards, stating that “another restraint device prescribed by regulation” could also be banned following the consultation process.

The government’s broad definition of a restraint device included collars, leads, harnesses, muzzles and halters, but the amended Bill did not specify which types would be declared as banned once it passed through parliament. However, the Bill’s explana

notes, did clarify that other devices would be banned or restricted if they were “considered to be inappropriate as a training aid because they cause pain and fear in dogs which is used as a punishment”.

Agriculture Minister Mark Furner said the proposed legislation would simply allow the government to use regulations to ban future collars if they were deemed dangerous or harmful to animals.

“Under this change, if a harmful new kind of collar is developed we could pass a regulation to ensure it was also banned,” he said.

Mr Furner said specifically banning prong collars was necessary to prevent physical harm to a dog including bruising, scratching and skin punctures, which sometimes lead to severe spinal cord injuries.

“Research has shown that using aversive training methods including the use of prong collars can cause pain and distress and can compromise the dog’s welfare,” he said.

Queensland Animal Welfare League state rehoming manager Melinda Phipps recommended owners speak to a professional such as a trainer, pet shop owner or veterinarian before deciding what training devices or collars to use.

“A prong collar is an old style of collar and there are now new and more humane ways to train your dog … for your standard owner, a flat collar is the way to go,” Ms Phipps said.

“Harnesses are also quite popular, they are designed not to cause discomfort to your pet and help with communication processes when training.

“Anything that shocks, that’s again a negative one. We wouldn’t recommend those. It’s very negative and usually they don’t fix the problem that you have.

“Same with a choker, that’s not a collar or training tool we would recommend because of that negative association and the risk of these training types as dogs can become trapped or hooked onto something causing trauma or injury.”

Queenslanders have until 12pm, Wednesday, June 1 to submit feedback on the proposed changes before a final report is prepared for parliament.