Please sign the Petition Against Dog Shock Collars
Posted on August 30, 2009 by: WayCoolDogs
To: U.S. Congress
Signing this petition will state your position “against” shock collars for domestic dogs or any animal without adequate training and written proof of responsibility by private pet owners, breeders and brokers. This EXCLUDES collars with vibration or tone-only settings, which can be used as a “neutral stimulus”; training tools by professional trainers; anti-theft; GPS location and tracking; military; police; and service training.
Signing this dog petition will state that you are wanting to prevent any untrained pet owners, breeders, or brokers from using shock and electronic collars for behavioral modifications, obedience training, pet containment, or negative/positive punishment. To use one should require a professional class on its usage, signed by someone of authority, and labeled as a felony if it can be proved to be used in any abusive manner with the dog removed immediately from the home. If proven guilty, this act will be used as a form of animal abuse and prosecuted by law accordingly.
We hope that you will join Way Cool Dogs in making this stand for our pets and companions.
Sincerely,
Location: http://petol.org/12221R #petol
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We have entered this petition in The Humane Society Legislative Fund contest, so if you have a good idea for a animal law, please click here.
Update:
We have had a few comment justifying shock treatment on dogs for various reasons. Our bottom line is this – just because you cannot humanely train or control a dog any other way than “shocking them”, does not justify this treatment. Of course, our government also justifies shocking and torturing enemies as long as nobody returns the favor to our people. I guess we can pretty much say and do whatever we want, as long as it is justified and at the mercy of a defenseless animal. After all, we are not forced to wear the shock collar. Too bad … many people could learn from the exposure.
Dogs are social animals – intelligent, kind, gentle, communicative, and love us. Thousands of years ago mankind purposely set out to domestic them as companions, not experimental creatures to force torture or painful means due to our own lack of intelligence. Over the years, their domestication has brought on an inbred desire to to be with us, love us and communicate with us. Putting a shock collar on for control is dangerous thinking that put Hitler in control so long. We stand on our original statement . . . we are against shock treatment . . . that is how intelligent we are. WOOF! WOOF!
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24 Responses:
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sherri thomas
- 30th Aug, 09 01:08pm
we need to LOVE and protect our animals…not hurt and abuse them. they bring a tremondous amount of love and joy into our lives.
Nancy Houser (author comment)
- 30th Aug, 09 02:08pm
from June:
I signed the petition..I have a little Bichon x and I adopted her from a client who was in and out of mental hospitals but this poor thing spent 1 1/2 years with a shock collar, her throat is scared to the this day…because she likes to talk…my ball is under the couch, the water bowl is empty, the cat just stuck his tongue out at me, I thought I saw a chipmunk, and yes I do need to tell you repeatedly until all is ok in my world…good thing the little mental case lives with me…she informs me of all goings on in the universe
Gin
- 31st Aug, 09 02:08am
A new neighbor moved in next door to my mother in the burbs and within 3 mos called the police on her and a few other dog owners making complaints. My mom got one of those shock collars and hates it. The dogs she has is a mini poodle and terrier and are indoor dogs. They should be allowed to be yappy since they don’t go outside often except for relieving themselves only. It’s very sad, heartbreaking and now has my mother in fear of the police knocking at her door ready to charge her for noise? I say allow dogs to be themselves and take pride in their ‘guarding’ home turfs.
Peggy Winter
- 31st Aug, 09 05:08am
I have seen dogs come into the vet clinics with holes in their throats from bad shock collars that shorted out and irresponsible owners that did not know what they were doing. No dog deserves that. Training and education for behavior control should always from first and the owners should wear one and feel what their dog feels at least once. Thats how they train with tasers in law enforcement. Every officer gets tased at least once. Why not shock collars?
Marty
- 31st Aug, 09 02:08pm
I personally can’t stand shock collars and think the users need to spend some time in them…just in case they don’t see the big deal.
I recently posted an article talking about contest that the Humane Society Legislative Fund is running where people can submit ideas for new pet laws and possibly win a trip to Washington where they can fight for it.
Outlawing shock collars would be a great law to pass.
Cathy Hatcher
- 31st Aug, 09 05:08pm
These are torture for the animal in every sense of the world. They must be banned.
Ben
- 21st Mar, 10 01:03pm
When used responsibly, they aren’t torture. The key word is responsibly.
Modern shock collars have no amperage, which means they only provide stimulation, no true “shock”. No electricity runs through the animal’s body. So they aren’t in any danger. It is just making them uncomfortable.
I have used it on myself, every one i have bought I have tried on myself. On every setting, low to high. I am a firm believer that we should know what we use on our dogs.
I never use high on any of my dogs. Its just not necessary. From 1-10, I have only gone as high as 5, and that was with a thick-skinned lab, and I only did that twice. He never yelped or wimpered. And I use the “beeper” part more than the stimulation part after the first 4 weeks of training. The beep is just a reminder that they are on the job, and that they need to follow my commands.
These collars are not a replacement for basic training, they are for reinforcement. I use my dogs for hunting, and I use the collar to let them know what my commands mean, how far out I want them to go, and in case I get a dog who decides to go chasing after a squirrel he sees while on a hunt. There would be no other way to train him to not do that, really. When I finally catch him, I can’t spank him or scold him or punish him, because it has been too long, he won’t know what I am mad about. The E-collar is a way of instantaneously punishing misbehavior, or correcting some action.
Its the same as swatting a child on the behind for something. Thats not abuse, its just parenting. You aren’t beating the child, just a small swat. Same with E-collars. They allow corrective stimulation, when used the right way. They don’t hurt the animal. I mean, my skin on my hand is more sensitive than a dogs, there are plenty of studies that show that. And if it doesn’t hurt me, it doesn’t hurt them. Like I said, it doesn’t run electricity through them, it doesn’t burn them. It just stimulates.
When used responsibly, E-collars are not bad. It is only when misused that they can ruin a dog’s psyche. However, they cannot physically harm the animal.
Helen
- 30th Mar, 10 12:03pm
Thank you Ben for your insightful post. We tried EVERY training method with our dog & nothing worked until we started using the e-collar. I have felt it & it doesn’t HURT – it’s just a reminder – HEY LISTEN. I was at the point where i could either KILL my dog (b/c of aggression) or use the shock collar to hinder the aggression. With on going training we now use the collar less & less & Chester is now social towards other dogs. Again – had I not resorted to the e-collar – I would have had to KILL My dog. so, what would you do? Kill your dog or use the e-collar?
Debbie Shaw
- 16th Apr, 10 11:04am
I use the electric fence with shock collar. I have to say this item actually saved my dog from being killed because he would get out constantly. He was in no way abused by the use of this system. He was only shocked once and never left the yard again. This electronic/shock fence saved our animal from possibly being hit by a car (like the fate of all the other huskies in his litter). I disagree with you trying to get rid of tools that responsible pet owners use to keep their dogs safe. Go after the ones who abuse animals. Making shock collars illegal will not stop them, so you don’t need to treat responsible people like children. The government controls too much already.
Nat
- 12th Jun, 10 09:06pm
If you can’t watch or keep your pet safe without the use of electric shocking then you are an unfit animal owner.
toni
- 22nd May, 10 05:05pm
I am a certified dog trainer and have been training dogs for 4 years. The amount of ill educated owners looking for a quick fix is alarming. I have seen first hand dogs who had minor training issuse become agressive due to wearing shock collars. Puppies who are babies wearing shock collars because the owner is too lazy to take 15 min a day to train them. The phycological damage I have seen in dogs because of these things is even more devistating than the wholes in the neck that I have also seen. Shock collare are abusive and a lazy way of training a dog. Just because some dogs are stubborn and seem to have no reaction to the the collars doesnt mean they are not abused. Take children for example. Some children who are abused take it with no complaint because they have been conditioned to behave that way. And some become murderers. Just because you cant see damage doesnt mean that its not there. If something would be considerd abusive to use on children why is it not abuse on an animal? If your dog jumps the fence, raise the fence and spend more time with him in the yard so it is a fun place to be. Take him for walks. There are so many other positive solutions other than a shock. Get Help From a profesional. Do your reserch. And dont be lazy. It is important to understand the dog to fix the problem, and some dogs take longer to learn than others. Owning a dog is a big responsibility and TIME COMITMENT!
Dog Trainers who use corective collars do not understand dogs and are promoting abuse. There has been tons of research and studies done on dogs and their behavior in the last 30 years to prove that positive reinforcement is the most effective way to train. It is not a quick fix and requires a comitment. People who dont have the time to train thier dogs are selfish and should not have a dog.
Rob
- 3rd Jun, 10 07:06pm
As Ben stated above, training collars which employ static shock corrections cannot cause physical injury to any animal. They do not create heat and can’t therefore cause burns. This is easily verified. Also, your title implies that the use of “shock” collars is illegal in the U.S. – it most certainly is not. Electronic pet containment fences, which have existed in the U.S. since the mid 1970′s, can justifiably claim to have saved the lives of literally tens of thousands of dogs who would have been killed by cars alone. The extreme popularity of these items should tell you that the vast majority of Americans believe they are humane and helpful, as I do. Before you try to have a useful product outlawed, you might do some in-depth research to insure you know what you’re talking about.
Toni
- 4th Jun, 10 08:06pm
I assure you the static collars can cause burns. It is not uncommon for the housing divice to malfunction. When this happens the battaries can over heat and cause burns. I have seen this first hand. Or are you telling me that I saw an illusion. Second They are Illegel in Other contries look it up. Third I am not denying that these fences have kept dogs from getting hit by cars. But at what cost. My words come from experience and you can not disput what I have seen first hand. There are other alternitives that dont cause fear, anxiety, or injury.
Luna
- 25th Jun, 10 05:06am
Shock collars should be banned, are we really getting so lazy that we have to resort to this to teach a dog not to bark, I mean really, most dogs bark due to frustration/ lack of exercise try going out on a walk once in awhile. Also using one on a puppy is very cruel, its a baby, yes its a quick fix but what happens when they are young goes into being the adult dog, too many shocks as a pup will make the dog either a nervous wreck or agressive. The fact that they are illegal to use on humans should tell you something.
June Waggoner
- 10th Jul, 10 02:07am
There is enough cruelty in the world of all kinds. Animals depend on us for love and care. In return they give us love, faithfulness and companionship. They are dependable and some times keep us from harm. There are ways to train a dog without the use of a mean device such as a shock collar.
For the love of animals, please outlaw them and all cruel devices used on our precious animals.
I love them all. They bring many hours of pleasure in ones life.
Sara Thomas
- 19th Jul, 10 05:07pm
I recently learned That the Jackson County Humane Society in IA is allowing trainers that use shock collars to come in and practice their shock collar techniques on the shelter dogs! Please contact the Humane Society and ask them (nicely) to stop.
jacksoncountyhumanesociety@hotmail.com
23354 Dark Hollow Road
Maquoketa, Iowa 52060
Nancy Houser (author comment)
- 19th Jul, 10 05:07pm
Please send me further information so we can do a post on this. This is something that needs to go public.
Terri Kimbro
- 8th Sep, 10 05:09pm
I strongly I am against any mefhod of shock how would you like it to be controlled like that.
Needs Help
- 3rd Nov, 10 04:11pm
So in reading all the thoughts here, I am still confused on if I should use a vibration shock collar on my 1 yr old dog. She is a sweetie, but LOVES to play bite. I was taught by trainers (and all books) a dog should NEVER put their mouth on you to bite. We have done training, clickers, treat… well most everything and she still does this with us. My kids are getting scared of her when she gets like this, she jumps up grabs their arms and when she comes down it scratches the kids. I do not have the extra funds to keep taking her to training classes. We are doing everything else right. We play ball with her in the morning (which she bites me to get the ball, I dont give it to her and then I have to stop playing with her), I am home with her during the day, we walk her every night, she has plenty of space outside to play, and we doing training (basic commands) with her every day too. Everytime I scold her with a strong no, or hand clap, or loud noise, or shaker can, or water spray bottle… she thinks we are playing and starts to bite. Also if we walk away from her she jumps up behind us and bites our clothes or arms (rips the clothes) or if we stand still she does the same. So I have done everything written here on the posts… unless someone wants to train her and us for free what can I do next then use a vibration shock? Any help?
toni
- 18th Nov, 10 04:11pm
It sounds like you are doing a lot of things right, however, from what I can tell from your post your dog is not understanding that what she is doing hurts. What you want to do when she mouthes you is give a loud high pitch yelp or scream, stop what you are doing and cross your arms. If your are consistent in doing this every time, she will understand that it hurts.
toni
- 18th Nov, 10 05:11pm
Also, you want to make sure that you are not encouraging this behavior. Avoid ruff games like tug of war and wrestling with her. Stick to fetch or hid and seek. You can practice her sit stay while you go hide her favorite toy.
Children have a lot of energy too. So your dog may be feeding off their energy as well.
Depending on how old your children are you may want to have her on a leash when playing in the yard with your children. You can also tether her to the couch when your kids are around so she cant follow them around. This will help teach her to stay calm while your children play, while still being able to be with her people.
You can also use peanut butter as a training treat so that she can practice licking when hands come toward her rather than chomping at a hand with a treat.
Hope this helps.
Anna
- 3rd Mar, 11 10:03am
I think shock collars are ok if used correctly. We have a West Highland Terrier she is a 3 month old girl. We are trying to train her and she has done very well with it. We keep in on a low setting, I have shocked my self with it and it just feels like a pinch. Our shock collar also has a warning beep that if she doesn’t listen we push it and it will beep at her and she knows if she doesn’t listen the next time she will get a shock and most of the time that is all it takes to get her to listen. Just having it on her she behaves better. Now if I had it on the highest then yes that is cruel and wrong but we would never put her through that. We also used to have a Grate Dane and we had to use a higher setting for him because he didn’t feel it. We only used it for 2 weeks. It is very useful in training your pet if used properly. If you are concerned if it will hurt the dog then try it on yourself first. Depending on the size of your dog you can adjust the intensity of the shock.
Nancy Houser
- 3rd Mar, 11 09:03pm
You are so right, Anna. People with common sense and care for animals are able to use shock collars. Unfortunately, the crazies and the abusers use it as a weapon. When can a person tell the difference when they sell the collar to a customer?
Carolina
- 18th Jul, 11 06:07pm
MY VOTE FOR BAN OF SHOCK COLLAR !!