Category: News

Scottish Government Review of Shock Collars

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ban shock collarsScottish Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead has stated that a consultation will be published “within the next few months” regarding the use of electric shock and vibration collars. Options will include imposing tighter regulation and an outright ban.

The Welsh Assembly Government banned the use of shock collars by passing the Animal Welfare (Electronic Collars) (Wales) Regulations 2010. They are also banned in Sweden, Denmark and Germany. New Zealand has issued guidance on their use and the State of Victoria, Australia imposes legal requirements on the technical specification and use which is permitted only under the supervision and written instructions of a veterinary practitioner or a qualified dog trainer.

DEFRA funded research into the collars in 2011 and concluded that they “do not cause long-term or significant harm to dogs when used as per manufacturer’s instructions”.

As far as DEFRA’s statement is concerned, the same could be said of all aversives including spike collars, citrus sprays and and choke chains. However, the fact is that owners abuse dogs every day, unwittingly and deliberately. There is an owner that I see regularly who thinks that the shock collar that is weighing down his Saluki’s neck is a good way of training recall. I presume that no non-Masochistic human would willingly return to a person who administered an electric shock to their body so I don’t see why a dog would either.

The thinking behind administering an electric shock to “train” recall is that the dog realises that it is being punished for not coming when called and will only oblige when shocked. Nonsense of course. The dog is far more likely to associate being recalled with unexplained pain and fear. Some argue that it works as an aversive for livestock training; so did tying a dog to a ram for a day, but I doubt it did much for the welfare of either.

There can never be any control over the way that owners use such devices and so in permitting use “according to manufacturer’s instructions”, the government is absolving itself of all responsibility. In any case, the manufacturer’s instructions are to administer an electric shock to the dog in some shape or form, with increasing frequency for maximum “efficacy”.

This is neither an ethical not an effective method of training and the entire United Kingdom should ban their sale and use.

One Law for All – Defending International Biosecurity

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illegal The news that Amber Heard has been charged with bringing dogs to Australia illegally should be greeted with approval. The comparative ease with which dogs can now be transported across international boundaries was always likely to bring problems with bio-security and increased ease of smuggling. Although the potential for dogs being smuggled in private aircraft is minimal, there can be no question that the law should apply to all, irrespective of wealth or status.

Ms Heard was recorded on Australian television as saying “I guess everyone tries to go for their 15 minutes, including some government officials”. Perhaps she is incapable of seeing anything outside of the bubble of her supposed celebrity. This is not a matter of being a ‘jobsworth’ but of protecting animals, including her own pets, against disease. Australia’s native fauna have been under threat since the early 19thC when ships’ cats devasated some wildlife.

Rabies remains a serious threat. A major outbreak could result in a widespread cull of vast numbers of animals, including pets. Not taking prophylactic precautions and proving it via the requisite paperwork is vital for all our sakes.

It will be interesting to see whether court action will rely on hitting Ms Heard in her pocket by imposing a fine or by setting an example and choosing a custodial sentence.

Grazia Magazine – No Thanks

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petitionThe news that Grazia Magazine has published an article advising its readers how to make money from back street breeding will not surprise many people. In a society that can even entertain the expression “handbag dog” and where a web site offers to put people in touch so that they can “borrow” a dog, it is just another consequence of the commodification of pretty much everything, living creatures included.

It is gratifying to know that a petition quickly garnered thousands of signatures in protest, but has not elicited a meaningful apology or retraction from Grazia magazine.

Although a weasel-worded statement from Grazia offered a sop for causing “offence”, it of course misses the point. Any “offence” that I may feel as a consequence of Grazia’s actions pales into insignificance at the societal offence of incompetent breeding, unwanted dogs and irresponsible, ignorant owners who form the chain of the backstreet dog trade, fuelled by this type of publicity.

Network Rail Take The Safety Lead

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Still from Take the Lead) Network Rail has teamed up with the Dogs Trust to produce a hard hitting video in an attempt to prevent injuries and fatalities on the rail network.

Those who thought that the infamous “Fenton” video was funny should learn a salutary lesson. Network Rail, the company that is responsible for track and rail infrastructure, state that between April 1st, 2010 and March 31st, 2015 there were 181 recorded near misses where train drivers have had to apply their brake and narrowly avoided a collision with a person and a dog.

181.

Think about it.

That’s the average attendance at a small dog show narrowly avoiding being injured or killed every five years.

In the same period, there were five fatalities of people who were with a dog at the time of the collision.

Imagine if the five people in line for Best in Show at the same event were killed every five years.

Full details are available here.

Take care, train and re-inforce recall and if in doubt, clip on a lead or a long line.

Bad Dog Law

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dog ban The UK press reported yesterday that the state of Florida has enacted a law threatening dog owners with 60 days in prison if they “sneak” their pet into a restaurant, aeroplane or other public place by “pretending” that they are an assistant dog.

This is supposed to help people with “real” disabilities. This is the same state that threatened two pastors and a 90 year old with 60 days in prison for feeding the homeless in its attempt to “cleanse” its streets of homeless people. It seems that Florida considers that people with physical or mental disabilities are worth defending but not those that violate the most sacred law that “thou shalt be seen to be rich or not seen at all”.

So why are owners resorting to this action? Surely it is because they have been unreasonably denied access to public spaces when accompanied by their dog. The complaints do not seem to be about problem behaviour (of the dogs that is), so if access is allowed for assistance dogs, why not all (well-behaved) dogs? If some dogs are considered capable of travelling in an aircraft (or ferry) cabin or train carriage, why not all? Airlines could always impose a restriction on the number of dogs allowed in flight – surely not a problem on short flights?

I would have no problem producing proof that my dog is vaccinated and wormed as long as parents are obliged to do the same for their children. I really am not worried about catching toxicara in a cafe or, frankly, even the odd flea bite, although this is not an excuse not to rid your dog of parasites. Dogs also do not harbour or transmit the common cold. I am however always worried about catching chicken pox which I happen not to have had, and about any number of other diseases transmittable between humans that I might catch from unvaccinated children or expectorating adults.

Florida has some well-worded legislation regarding responsible dog ownership, not least its approach to dangerous dogs. What a pity it does not follow through by supporting well-behaved dogs in public places.

10,000 Dogs Slaughtered for Summer Solstice

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Grande_Boucherie_Canine_a_ParisMedia all over the world are abuzz at the announcement that thousands of dogs are to be slaughtered at the Yulin Dog Meat Festival. Pressure is being brought to bear inside China and from abroad in an attempt to end the practice of eating dog meat.

It is easy to have a sentimental, knee-jerk reaction to this (and indeed a racist, xenophobic one), but it is a complex problem and to some extent, a cultural one. It is common knowledge that south east Asian cultures have traditionally consumed dog meat, but so have New Zealanders and the Swiss. Dogs and cats were eaten in times of famine more recently and more closely to home than some would care to consider. Horses were consumed before they were ridden or used as draught animals, and of course, still are. Some of the welfare problems facing our native breeds have occurred because of the cessation of the live meat trade, for instance.

What is of more concern than the consumption of dogs per se is the condition in which the dogs are kept, under which they are slaughtered and the fact that pets are stolen to fuel the trade. There are many people in China bankrupting themselves to buy as many dogs as they can so that they cannot be slaughtered for food, but it is still a drop in the ocean.

What is needed is a major campaign to improve dog welfare in general, including legislation that covers the transporation and slaughtering of dogs so that at least those that are destined for the menu are kept and killed in as humane a condition as can be achieved.

We may never erradicate the consumption of dog meat entirely, but we can at least ensure that dogs suffer as little as possible in the process even if the incentive needs to be that that way they produce healthier food.

Barking Mad

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dog pooThe announcement that the London Borough of Barking (you couldn’t make it up!) has initiated a pilot to create a database of the DNA of its 18,000 canine residents in order to fine owners for not picking up faeces caused a rash of press puns.

Owners who don’t pick up cause a nuisance and give us all a bad name and they are often also the same owners who refuse to put their dogs on a lead and thus don’t even see their dogs defecating. However, this could mean that responsible owners leaving a scrap behind or having one of those days when the leaves offer perfect camouflage and even the brightest torch cannot help, will bear the brunt of punishments. Irresponsible owners will find a way round the law and evade fines as they do with any other sanction.

Barking plan to introduce a public space protection order (PSPO) to make DNA testing mandatory. Presumably they will also impose “dog ASBOs” on persistent offenders. At the moment, registering appears to be voluntary. However, it seems likely that owners who already pick up will be those who will register in the mistaken impression that they will not make easy targets for the council.

Daventry District Council are currently consulting on a proposal to fine dog handlers £100 rising to £1,000 if they are caught without the means of picking up. Woe betide any owner that uses the last bag. Having come up with the odd creative solution when caught out myself, it will be interesting to see what the courts will decide constitutes the means of picking up – horse chestnut leaf and the occasional discarded crisp bag springs to mind! One man’s litter is another man’s dog poo container. So you could say that forgetting a poo bag could even become a public service.

It would be interesting to compare the amount spent on clearing discarded chewing gum from pavements, never mind sweeping up discarded cigarette butts, with the actual amount of dog faeces encountered.

It is an easy option for councils to impose punishments and fines on dog owners who make the odd error; a much harder one to put resources into educating irresponsible owners and paying for sufficient, full time dog wardens.

Latest Dog Bite Statistics

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HSCIC has announced that there has been a 7% increase in dog bites in the 12 months to January 2014. As ever 0-9 year olds were the most likely to be bitten and most injuries to adults were on the wrist or hand.

When will people learn to teach children to behave properly around dogs and not to leave them alone with a dog. When will adults for that matter learn how to approach dogs and stop sticking their hands into fights.

Depressing news and, as ever, it is the dogs that suffer most.