Shock Dog Collars Misuse And Malfunction

Introduction

Electric shock dog collars are one of the options available on the market to try to stop dogs barking, and stop dogs or cats behave in a way deemed undesirable by owners.

However, if the collars are misused by children who do not know any better, or by cruel people, they can cause burns, brain damage, seizures, life long anxiety & or even death to pets. There is also the chance of pets suffering if the shock dog collars are, or become, faulty.

Image: A canine victim of a shock collar with bad burns all over it’s throat, along with the collar itself.

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How Do They Work?

Electric shock collars come with a remote control. The idea behind them is that whenever the dog barks, or the dog/cat behaves in another way the owner does not like, an electric shock is administered to discourage it from behaving in that way.

There are also electric shock collars that act like an invisible electric fence. When the dog approaches the set boundary with the shock collar on, it hears a beep. If the dog crosses the boundary, it receives an electric shock.

Image: Faulty shock collars, or misuse of shock collars can cause serious and painful burns to dogs’ necks due to continuous repeated shocking.

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The Dangers

Remote controls of the shock collars can fall in to the hands of children, who find amusement in shocking pets for no reason because they are too young to know better.

There is also the danger of the collars being misused by cruel people who take pleasure in hurting animals. The collars have been known to cause burns on pets when misused or faulty.

Also, shock dog collars can be misused by being put on other animals. The smaller the animal, the more pain the collars will cause, and in small animals which the collars are not suitable for, they can cause death.

Image: The damage these collars can cause are horrific! Source

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Dangerous If Faulty

Rufus, an 8 month old Golden Labrador Retriever, had the horrible experience of finding out what can happen when shock collars go wrong:

Rufus’ owner bought an electric shock collar from a leading pet shop and carefully read all the instructions. The product was designed to work outdoors, as it was one of the shock collars that was designed to act like an invisible electric fence. The owner left Rufus in the back yard for a few hours, but was alarmed when he returned to find him in pain. On carefully removing the collar, the owner was horrified to find horrific burns on Rufus’s neck. The owner saw apparant galvanic corrosion around the battery cover on the electronic collar, which must have been caused when it had rained. The device had apparantly shocked poor Rufus non-stop for several hours. An emergency vet visit necessitated general anesthetic for suturing the holes in Rufus’ neck
closed. The vet said it was one of the worst electrical burns she’d ever seen. 

Image: Rufus is just one pet of many that has had an
experience such as this. There have been numerous cases of brain damage and life long seizures in pets, which vets have confirmed have been caused by shock collars.

Illegal In Wales, UK

Wales in the UK has banned shock dog collars, agreeing with the RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) and the Kennel Club that their use is a form of animal cruelty.

Wales are the only part of the UK to have banned the device so far, bringing in legislation on the 24th March 2010. Source.

Image: This decision by Wales will hopefully reduce the likelihood of unnecessary suffering like this. Source

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Enforcement Of That Law

The maximum punishment for anyone caught using a shock collar in Wales is a fine of £20,000 or 6 months in prison. As with all laws, however, how seriously people take it and how many people abide by it depends on how well enforced it is.

If this law is enforced as poorly as the British anti-fox hunting law, then it will be virtually ineffective.

Image: The realities of Fox Hunting which still goes on even with the ban in place. Source

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Humane Ways To Stop Dogs Barking

There are kinder, more humane ways to stop dogs barking, and stop other behaviour deemed undesirable by owners from cats and dogs, rather than using shock dog collars.

positive reinforcement methods should always be tried first, because these methods cause no distress to your dog. Dog behaviourists and trainers can work with you on this, or there is a wealth of information found online. As with all dog training, patience, perseverance, and consistency is needed.

If positive reinforcement does not work, there are more humane alternatives to shock collars. These include collars that spray citronella that dogs usually detest the smell of, collars that emit a high pitched noise unpleasant for them to hear, and collars which use a combination of sound and painless vibration.

Important: If your dog shows signs of distress, such as fear, when using these devices, you must discontinue there use. Continuing to use them could lead to long term psychological harm to your dog.

Image: This shows a citronella spray anti-bark dog collar in action. Source

Image: No bark dog collar that uses a high pitched sound to discourage barking. Source

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Excessive Barking And Other Behaviour Considered Undesirable

Excessive barking is one reason why many people may abandon their dog. There may be reasons for the dog’s behaviour, such as it being left alone for periods longer than it can cope with, etc.

Other than barking, there are many different types of behaviour exhibited by a pet that the owner may consider undesirable enough for them to get rid of the pet to a shelter.

The majority of the time, the behaviour can be remedied with the assistance of training and humane training aids. These are aids such as ones to keep the dog stimulated and occupied while the owners are out, and to discourage barking.

Image: Dog stimulation toys such as this treat finder. Source

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Using These Collars To Break Up Dog Fights

Some people suggest the use of shock collars to stop dogs from fighting and to stop aggression. This is NOT recommended, as it can actually fuel aggression in a dog. This is because the dog, who is already flooded with adrenaline and in fight mode, will believe it is the other dog inflicting the pain on them, and will retaliate harder as a result.

Image: Message says it all!

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Many Ways You Can Help Stop Animal Cruelty And Suffering

Help animals by sharing the ways to stop animal cruelty you learn with other people and on social media. Doing this could mean more people help stop the cruelty, and therefore you are responsible for more animals being saved from suffering.

On this site are many varied ways you can help stop animal cruelty, and there are ways that will suit everyone, no matter what your personality or lifestyle.

If you would like to learn more about why we so urgently need to help stop animal suffering, please have a look at the Types Of Animal Cruelty section of this site. It will allow you to broaden your knowledge of many different types of animal abuse that happens in the world.

Sadly, what you will find is only the tip of the iceberg, but do not worry, because in the Help Stop Animal Cruelty section of this site, you can find a large and varied choice of ways that you can help stop the suffering. Have a look and see what ways would most suit you.

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