Electric Shock Collars Ban - England

Animal Welfare (Electronic Collars) England Regulations:

New regulations come into force on the 1st February 2024 and will ban the use of remote-controlled electronic shock collars on dogs an cats in England.

DEFRA Explanatory Notes:

These Regulations make provision for the purpose of preventing the use of electronic collars in England.

Regulation 2(1) makes it an offence for a person who is responsible for a cat or dog to attach an electronic collar, or cause an electronic collar to be attached, to the cat or dog in England.

Regulation 2(2) provides that a person commits an offence if, at any time when the person is responsible for a cat or dog, the cat or dog is wearing an electronic collar and the person is in possession of a remote-control device in England which is designed or adapted for activating and controlling the electronic collar remotely.

Regulation 3 provides that the offences under regulation 2 are summary-only offences and that a person convicted of an offence under regulation 2 is liable to a fine.

Regulation 4 provides that a local authority may prosecute an offence under regulation 2 and regulation 5 provides for various post-conviction powers in the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (c. 45) to be exercisable in relation to the offences under regulation 2.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.

Early Day Motion on DDA 1991

EDM 1159 is sponsored by Wayne David MP:

Has your MP viewed the EDM and put their name to it?

EDMs are used to put on record the views of individual MPs or to draw attention to specific events or campaigns. Topics covered by EDMs vary widely.

By attracting the signatures of other MPs, they can be used to demonstrate the level of parliamentary support for a particular cause or point of view.

EDM 1159:

This House is concerned at the increasing number of dog attacks and is alarmed that 13 people have been killed as a result of a dog attack since the start of 2022 and more have been seriously injured; notes that the cost to the NHS of dog bites has been calculated at £777 million per year; recognises that an approach based on breed specific legislation has failed and that the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 is woefully ineffective; looks forward to the publication of recommendations by the Government’s Responsible Dog Ownership working group and calls for this to take place before the summer recess; and further calls on the Government to introduce new legislation covering all aspects of the control of dangerous dogs that protects the public, promotes responsible dog ownership and improves animal welfare.