Wales’ Rural Affairs Minister, Elin Jones, has today (Wednesday 24 February) announced that subject to approval by the National Assembly for Wales, the use of collars designed to administer an electric shock to dogs or cats will be banned in Wales.
The ban is the first of its kind in the UK.
The announcement follows a third consultation on the draft legislation, held between 21 December 2009 and 9 February 2010.
The majority of the responses to all three consultations support the view that Electronic Training devices (electronic collars) should not be used and that there are effective positive training alternatives.
The Minister has today laid the legislation, the Animal Welfare (Electronic Collars) (Wales) Regulations 2010 before the Assembly, which will need to consider and agree the legislation in due course before a ban can be implemented.
Announcing her decision, the Rural Affairs Minister, Elin Jones said:
“On 25 June 2008 I announced my intention, subject to consultation, to introduce legislation to ban the use of electronic training devices in Wales.
“Following careful consideration of the responses to the consultation and with a view to enhancing animal welfare in Wales, I have today laid legislation before the National Assembly for Wales which will ban the use of electric shock collars in Wales.
“This has not been an easy subject to examine. There is genuinely a large degree of concern about how these devices are improperly used, in contrast to responses from people who have used them and found they have worked in stopping an animal from misbehaving.
“However, the Welsh Assembly Government takes animal welfare very seriously and I am confident that the approach I am announcing today will go a long way to promote the welfare of dogs and cats in Wales.”
Following consideration of the responses on the second consultation, Ministers agreed to tighten up the original proposals by removing the exemptions subject to use in clinical situations or the use by the police using tasers.
The Minister also confirmed that the Welsh Assembly Government has notified the European Commission the intention to make these Regulations twice under the terms of the Technical Standards Directive.
