The use of prong collars and other inhumane practices are set to be bannedas part of Queensland’s biggest animal welfare law reforms in over 20 years.
Mark Furner, Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries andMinister for Rural Communities, said the government is delivering on itselection commitment to review the Animal Care and Protection Act 2001.
“Queensland already has some of the strongest animal welfare laws in thecountry, but we wanted to make sure the Act was current and reflectedcommunity expectations. The community said to us overwhelmingly inhumanepractices like the use of pronged collars have to stop.
“These collars are designed to train or restrain animals by injuring them andthe fact is there are better ways to train our family pets. That’s why newamendments to the Act will ban these collars as well as other inhumanepractices like the firing of a horse or dog’s legs as a means of treatinginjuries.”
The move has been welcomed by the Pet Professional Guild Australia (PPGA),which said that although data demonstrating the exact damage that can becaused by prong and choke collars is incomplete, experience has shown thatsoft tissue injuries are common and they can also cause damage to the animal-human relationship results.
“Studies and the experience of the PPGA’s membership finds that training andbehaviour problems are consistently and effectively solved without the use ofchoke or prong collars but with the alternative and positive methods ofreinforcing the animal-human bond.
“Evidence indicates that rather than speeding the learning process, harshtraining methods actually slow the training process, add to the animal’sstress and can result in both short-term and long-term psychological damage toanimals,” the PPGA said in a statement.
Other key amendments include:
- Prohibition on the use of yellow phosphorous pig poison.
- Strengthening enforcement powers for inspectors and
- Delivering on an election commitment to allow pregnancy testing of cattle by accredited laypersons.
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Tagged: animal welfare, Prong Collars
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