Positive Training Dog-lovers call for ban on zappers

LIFE STYLE EXTRA (UK) - Dog-lovers are demanding a ban on "control" collars which zap disobedient pets with an electric shock.

They say the collars, which are being bought over the Internet from America for £100 each, are "cruel and dangerous".

The influential Kennel Club is calling on the Government to outlaw the electronic collars.

Club secretary Caroline Kisko said: "People seem to think these collars can be used to train puppies. People who have just bought new pets are phoning up asking whether they should use them.

"We say they should not be used at all because they have a bad psychological effect on the dog. They destroy the bond of trust between owner and dog.

"The dog receives a sharp shock to its throat. It does not understand where it has come from or why.

"In cases where the collar has malfunctioned, dogs have received bad burns, which underlines how cruel and dangerous they can be.

"Even where the dog has not been harmed by burning, the effects are still very long lasting and leave psychological scars which make it difficult to train a dog properly.

"We have made it clear that positive dog training rather then punishment is the only way to train a dog correctly."

The club is calling for the Department for the Environment, Food and rural Affairs to ban the collars.

Ms Kisko said: "We are urging the Government to go for a complete ban and make it illegal to use these collars at any time."