Electronic shock collars for dogs and cats will be banned

New legislation will allow dog and cat owners who already use electronic shock collars to continue using them as long as they register within three months, while owners who are not already using them will not be allowed to start using them.

As these registered dogs and cats die, this will gradually lead to the outright ban of these collars in Ireland.

The ban will only apply to the use of electronic shock collars operated by hand-held remote controls and not to anti-bark collars or collars linked to boundary fences or fencing to control other animals.

An exemption will also be included allowing the use of these collars on deaf dogs.

Charlie McConalogue, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, said: “Dogs and cats are beloved companions for many of us in Ireland, and the use of manually operated, remote-controlled electronic shock collars is not an appropriate way to treat them.

“Many organizations and individuals have highlighted the welfare issues these collars can cause. The Advisory Council for the Welfare of Companion Animals, which I established in 2021, has also advised me on this and based on that advice I will introduce a scheme to ban their use in the coming months.”