Electric pulse training aids: more evidence needed, says CAWC

‘CURRENTLY there are sound animal welfare-based arguments both for and against the use of EPTAs in theory, but there is also a substantial lack of relevant research to inform the conclusions of those from either side of the debate.’

So says the Companion Animal Welfare Council (CAWC) in a report discussing the use of electric pulse training aids (EPTAs) in companion animals. The report, which was published this week, follows a wide-ranging review of the subject by a CAWC working party that was intended to help the council form objective views on the welfare aspects of the use of EPTAs, to identify areas in which further research is needed, and to make recommendations about tackling current concerns and problems. For the purposes of the report, an EPTA was defined as ‘a device designed for use in the training of dogs, cats and other companion animal species, which involves the application of an electric current to the skin to aid the training process’.

The CAWC notes that, in Wales, the use of all electronic collars has been banned, including those related to boundary fencing.

The CAWC reports that a systematic review of scientific publications found 10 that were of direct relevance to the specific …