Controversial Dog Collars Will Be Banned In Queensland Because They 'Use Pain As Punishment'
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New legislation will see the Queensland government ban pronged dog collars to combat animal cruelty.
Premier Anastasia Palaszczuk declared the 'inhumane treatment of animals’ needs to be banished in the state.
In a Facebook post, the Premier wrote: “We’re passing legislation to crack down on the inhumane treatment of animals in Queensland.
“That includes banning the use and possession of pronged dog collars like this one.
“We know the majority of Queenslanders support tougher penalties and regulations against cruelty to animals.
“That’s why this week we’ll be debating animal welfare laws in the Queensland Parliament – an issue close to the hearts of so many Queenslanders.”
The correctional collars are illegal to import in the country but are only banned in Victoria currently.
According to the RSPCA, the collar contains spikes that try to ‘correct’ behaviour by ‘inflicting pain as punishment’.
The prongs ‘pinch’ a dog’s neck when pulled by a trainer if the animal is doing the wrong thing.
The RSPCA also claims humane training procedures are proven to be more ‘effective than aversive methods'.
The new law follows the Queensland government conducting a review into animal cruelty laws, which saw hundreds of members of the public petitioning to ban the collars, according to 7News.
One petition, which garnered more than 600 signatures read: “Injuries from collars range from skin irritation and neck punctures to crushed and collapsed tracheas, spinal cord and back problems.
“Research shows that pronged collars suppress behaviour but does not change behaviour, and leads to emotional and behavioural issues.”
Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities Mark Furner welcomed the new legislation and says more amendments are also underway following Parliament’s review.
He said: “Queensland already has some of the strongest animal welfare laws in the country, but we wanted to make sure the Act was current and reflected community expectations.
“The community said to us overwhelmingly inhumane practices like the use of pronged collars have to stop.
“These collars are designed to train or restrain animals by injuring them and the fact is there are better ways to train our family pets.
“That’s why new amendments to the Act will ban these collars as well as other inhumane practices like the firing of a horse or dog’s legs as a means of treating injuries.”
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