An online petition has seen almost 2,000 dog lovers call for a ban on the cruel controversial ‘dog pinch prong collars’.
The Change.org e-petition, titled ‘RSPCA, Kennel clubs world wide, UK Goverment, Ebay: Ban the use and sale of cruel prong collars’, has attracted 1,852 signatures as dog lovers aim to pressure the government into removing the pet accessories from the market.
The collars, which have metal prongs inside designed to tighten as the dogs tug to explore their surrounding environment have led to many horrific injuries involving severe neck wounds.
While the devices claim to effectively discipline dogs, many have been responsible for multiple injuries and many complaints from dog lovers.
Hannah Baker, a Dogs Trust associate informed MM that the organisation ‘finds it appalling that such cruel contraptions such as prong collars remain legal’.
The canine charity is pleading for regulations to be enforced, making it illegal to use prong collars.
The plea comes as part of the Trust’s ‘Dog Manifesto’ which is to be presented to all political parties in the run-up to next year’s General Election.
Miss Baker said: “The charity will be contacting both online and offline retailers selling prong collars to highlight the pain and suffering they can inflict and to ask that they reconsider the sale of such collars.
“The charity is currently investigating the feasibility of conducting research about the welfare issues prong collars can cause.”
The Dogs Trust believes that the conduction of such research would enable them to better influence and support the call for a permanent ban.
Twitter users have also called for the controversial collars to be ditched:
Help ban these collars pinch collar pic.twitter.com/CnlntUKkTa
— pr47clive@peak4x4 (@PR03Clive_Peak) March 31, 2014
#luvmydog #boycotte #peta #prongcollar #pinchcollar #help #saveanimals pic.twitter.com/E0nBg3p5Qf
— Chelsea Walla (@chelz_tori) March 31, 2014
This is disgusting! The prong collar needs to be banned! :'( pic.twitter.com/XIVtsMdvKm
— Mia Mabel. (@Gemskiben) April 1, 2014
The petition launched by Change.org is urging animal lovers to stand against these ‘barbaric and outdated’ methods of discipline.
Joan Campbell, an outraged protestor from Liverpool posted on the site: “There is just no need for this torture collar at all.
“How can a dog love and trust a person who would use this on it?”
The petition is heavily promoted through the popular Facebook page ‘Find Harvey’ which was launched in a desperate bid to find a beloved family pet.
Harvey was killed on a busy motorway in November, but the page continues to thrive in his memory with avid dog lovers posting about all-things-pet-related, including their appalling use of prong collars.
Sue Vosper posted: “I have signed this petition and am totally disgusted that these are on sale!”
Another angry petitioner shared similar views posting: “This is barbaric; they should be used on owners to see if it trains them.”
The dismay towards the sale of these collars comes after a dog lover emailed an online retailer requesting that they re-evaluate the decision to stock such a device.
Mark Wheeler was disgusted when the shop responded by stating that they ‘tend not to support lost hope causes which are a drain on time with little or no chance of success’.
The shop also advised that Mr Wheeler ‘add some numbers to the numerous existing petitions’ before wishing him luck.
Miss Baker of the Dogs Trust said: “Supporters of our charity will be aware that we have been campaigning for a ban on the sale of electric shock devices.
“The government is ignoring its own research on the welfare issues that such devices cause and we are urging politicians in Westminster to follow the lead of their Welsh Assembly counterparts and legislate to make the sale of electric shock collars illegal”.
In a nation where dogs are supposed to be man’s best friend, Dogs Trust find it appalling that such cruel contraptions such as prong collars and electric shock devices remain legal in a modern age.
Amanda Stocks, a dog walker from Saddleworth was appalled that such devices were on sale.
She said: “I would have hoped that such devices would be illegal.
Mrs Stocks, who become an avid dog devotee when her daughter Ruby persuaded her to buy a pet, said: “These collars are downright cruel.
“As somebody who spends her life walking dogs, I believe that there are much more effective ways to train a dog to not pull on its lead in a far less harmful way”.
In further comments posted to the ‘Change.org’ protest, Tracey Thompson said: “No wonder some of these dogs are aggressive”.
Hayley Wright, a vet from Liverpool also questioned the motives of vicious dogs when she posted: “These collars are horrible and, if anything, make a dog more aggressive”.
For any dog lovers who wish to abolish the availability of the ‘prong collar’, visit the petition.
Image courtesy of Elf with thanks
