Out of the shadows…

And so there is a proposed change to the NSW Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (POCTAA) that includes a ban on prong collars. I blogged about this a little a few years ago when similar bans were imminent in QLD and Tasmania, here, focussing more on the apparent lack of due process in enacting those laws. While the public consultation process did go ahead in both those states, it did seem like it was a done deal, and ultimately was.

I do have similar concerns for the proposed changes here in NSW as well. The way it has been presented, in a Ministerial Release (link) and social media post by The Hon. Chris Minns NSW Premier on Sunday 18th January, very much reads as if public consultation has already been done, with the next step to present it to NSW Parliament sometime later this year. Social media posts made by a few organisations and individuals do seem to be touting the changes as inevitable, celebrating the amazing crackdown on animal cruelty the changes will deliver. Vague statements about seeing photos of horrible injuries allegedly caused by prong collars, and an unnamed collective of behaviourists claiming negative reinforcement is unnecessary sounds authoritative.

Does anyone else hear the implication though? The implication that anyone that uses a prong collar is an animal abuser? How abhorrent to make such an accusation towards their own constituents, clients and friends!

The prong collar has long been demonised and it’s time to bring it out of the shadows.

I use prong collars. I do not put them on every dog. In fact, it’s pretty rare, with maybe 10 cases in my 16 year professional career. In at least one of those, after trying it we deemed it the incorrect tool for that dog, and went in another direction.  The use of the prong collar for the other clients was a carefully considered and informed choice, and includes education, guidance, and supervision by me, a trained professional. The use of this tool allows these clients to provide the welfare choice of daily walking exercise for their dogs. The use of this tool ensures they can walk their dogs safely, despite a physical disability or frailty, or to prevent injury in the case of power to weight ratio disparity or dangerous learned behaviour. The use of this tool has improved the relationship in all of those cases.

Welfare and responsible pet ownership is nuanced and not one-size fits all.

Negative reinforcement is one of the quadrants of Operant Conditioning, a framework used to describe one of the ways beings learn, so yes also used to describe how we therefore try to teach. The thing is, whether we intend to use it or think it’s unnecessary or not, it is *always* at play because the quadrants work together. The thoughtful use of negative reinforcement and other quadrants can absolutely be effective. If it didn’t work, we wouldn’t have laws and incentives and penalties and be threatened with bans.

Many of the “evidence” of cruelty photos I have seen are either not caused by prong collars (for example, one was a studded flat collar turned inside out & left to grow into the skin) or are deliberate misuse or neglect. Proper use of a prong collar will not cause puncture or scratching injury. I am loathe to mention “proper use” but it is important – the prongs on the collar are blunt and cannot stab or scratch for a start. If an individual sharpens the prongs, or leaves the collar on the dog indefinitely causing the skin to grow around it, they are absolutely intended cruelty and neglect – prosecute that person! Cruelty and deliberate misuse of tools does exist, unfortunately. We have seen time & again though bans are ignored, pushing use even more into the shadows (creating a lack of peer supervision), or the abuser just uses another tool or some other object to enact their cruelty. Intent is a very important part of the context.

Governments are being deliberately mislead and manipulated into making deals that do not actually address animal welfare issues and prevent cruelty.

Please, step out of the shadows with me. Write to your local MP (list here) to express your concerns and ask that this proposed ban on prong collars be unreservedly abandoned. I can help if you need it.

Thank you.

(Side note: one of the other things being proposed is tougher penalties for leaving dogs in “hot cars”, which is also potential problematic. A good post about this can be found here. If this also concerns you as someone that travels with their dogs or attends dog sports events, please include it in your letter)