NOT A DOG'S BEST FRIEND
Banning electric dog collars is “naïve nonsense” that will lead to “an unmitigated animal welfare disaster”, a farmers’ union has warned the Government.
More than 200 sheep farmers from across England say that they are experiencing an increasing number of “distressing and harrowing” dog attacks and the ban on the training devices due to come into effect this year is “utterly irresponsible”.
In a letter to Boris and Carrie Johnson, who both campaigned in favour of a ban on e-collars when it was first announced in 2018, they warn that the plans are “misguided in the extreme”.
The letter, led by the National Sheep Association, warns that in Wales, where a ban is already in place, there has been an increase in both attacks on sheep and the number of dogs shot by farmers.
Phil Stocker, the chief executive of the National Sheep Association, said: “Attacks on sheep by dogs are getting progressively worse and farmers are fed up with the trauma of finding dead and injured sheep and in some cases telling people that they have had to shoot their dogs.
Keeping dogs on leads
“The solution starts with owners keeping their dogs on leads. But dogs with strong prey instincts must also be trained and, as the signatories of this letter say, it would be madness to ban an effective and proven way of training them to be wary of sheep.
“We are in favour of regulation to minimise any risk of misuse – but a blanket ban on e-collar training would be misguided in the extreme.”
But last night officials insisted that the ban was being put in place to protect dogs from abuse. It is understood that they are planning to respond to the farmers.
The Westminster Government promised to ban the devices, which are used to train an estimated 300,000 dogs, in 2018 and has pledged to introduce new legislation this year.
When announcing the ban, then-Environment Secretary Michael Gove urged people “to instead use positive reward training methods”. Animal charities suggest treats including biscuits to teach pets.
Proposals are ‘naïve nonsense’
But the letter warns that the “view that these attacks can be stopped by instead training a dog with biscuits is naïve nonsense”.
It adds: “While we agree with Defra that using leads on dogs around sheep is important, the vast majority of attacks happen when a dog has escaped. So, it would be utterly irresponsible to ban the only training which prevents such attacks, and can avoid dogs being shot or destroyed.”
Farmers in Wales, including BBC star Gareth Wyn Jones, wrote to the Welsh Parliament in June calling on ministers to reverse their decade long ban on the collars, which deliver a small electric shock.
Referencing their complaints, the 206 English farmers pointed out that the Welsh “suffer four times more attacks and have to shoot many more dogs than their counterparts elsewhere in the UK”.
Concern about abuse
“Above all the Government must not ban them,” they pleaded with the Prime Minister and his wife. “That would be an unmitigated animal welfare disaster.”
A Defra spokesman said: “The Government’s proposed ban on hand-operated electric shock collars will protect dogs from these harmful devices which can be all too easily open to abuse.
“It is important that dogs are trained to behave well, ideally from a young age, and introduced gradually and positively to different environments, people and animals. Dog owners can prevent incidents of livestock worrying through keeping their pet dogs on a lead in the vicinity of livestock.”
Beasts of burden - Antagonism and Practical History
An attempt to rethink the separation between animal liberationist and communist politics.
Banning electric dog collars is “naïve nonsense” that will lead to “an unmitigated animal welfare disaster”, a farmers’ union has warned the Government.
THEY CAN'T BLAME WOLVES (THEY KILLED THEM ALL).....
More than 200 sheep farmers from across England say that they are experiencing an increasing number of “distressing and harrowing” dog attacks and the ban on the training devices due to come into effect this year is “utterly irresponsible”.
In a letter to Boris and Carrie Johnson, who both campaigned in favour of a ban on e-collars when it was first announced in 2018, they warn that the plans are “misguided in the extreme”.
The letter, led by the National Sheep Association, warns that in Wales, where a ban is already in place, there has been an increase in both attacks on sheep and the number of dogs shot by farmers.
Phil Stocker, the chief executive of the National Sheep Association, said: “Attacks on sheep by dogs are getting progressively worse and farmers are fed up with the trauma of finding dead and injured sheep and in some cases telling people that they have had to shoot their dogs.
Keeping dogs on leads
“The solution starts with owners keeping their dogs on leads. But dogs with strong prey instincts must also be trained and, as the signatories of this letter say, it would be madness to ban an effective and proven way of training them to be wary of sheep.
“We are in favour of regulation to minimise any risk of misuse – but a blanket ban on e-collar training would be misguided in the extreme.”
But last night officials insisted that the ban was being put in place to protect dogs from abuse. It is understood that they are planning to respond to the farmers.
The Westminster Government promised to ban the devices, which are used to train an estimated 300,000 dogs, in 2018 and has pledged to introduce new legislation this year.
When announcing the ban, then-Environment Secretary Michael Gove urged people “to instead use positive reward training methods”. Animal charities suggest treats including biscuits to teach pets.
Proposals are ‘naïve nonsense’
But the letter warns that the “view that these attacks can be stopped by instead training a dog with biscuits is naïve nonsense”.
It adds: “While we agree with Defra that using leads on dogs around sheep is important, the vast majority of attacks happen when a dog has escaped. So, it would be utterly irresponsible to ban the only training which prevents such attacks, and can avoid dogs being shot or destroyed.”
Farmers in Wales, including BBC star Gareth Wyn Jones, wrote to the Welsh Parliament in June calling on ministers to reverse their decade long ban on the collars, which deliver a small electric shock.
Referencing their complaints, the 206 English farmers pointed out that the Welsh “suffer four times more attacks and have to shoot many more dogs than their counterparts elsewhere in the UK”.
Concern about abuse
“Above all the Government must not ban them,” they pleaded with the Prime Minister and his wife. “That would be an unmitigated animal welfare disaster.”
A Defra spokesman said: “The Government’s proposed ban on hand-operated electric shock collars will protect dogs from these harmful devices which can be all too easily open to abuse.
“It is important that dogs are trained to behave well, ideally from a young age, and introduced gradually and positively to different environments, people and animals. Dog owners can prevent incidents of livestock worrying through keeping their pet dogs on a lead in the vicinity of livestock.”
Beasts of burden - Antagonism and Practical History
An attempt to rethink the separation between animal liberationist and communist politics.
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