Written question asked by Naomi Long (Alliance) on Friday, 3 December 2010, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 7 December 2010. It was answered by James Paice (Conservative) on Wednesday, 15 December 2010 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Electric Shock Collars

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on the introduction of a ban on the use of electric shock training devices for dogs.

Answer: There are no current plans to ban the use of electronic training aids for animals. The Animal Welfare Act 2006 already makes it an offence to cause unnecessary suffering to any animal or to treat an animal in a way that fails to meet its welfare needs. It also provides additional powers to prohibit the use of any such equipment through secondary legislation if considered necessary.However, we recognise the need for further research into this issue. DEFRA is currently carrying out a study into whether electronic training collars cause unnecessary suffering, and this will be completed next year.

Secondary information