Document type : article published in Le Monde (subscriber edition)
Author: Mathilde Gérard
Preview: The deputies of the French National Assembly were almost unanimous in adopting at first reading the bill to end the sale and use of electric or strangle collars with deleterious effects on animals.
These are to be found on sale at prices ranging from fifty to several hundred euros in large pet shops or sporting goods stores. Prong or pinch collars, strangle collars and electric collars are sold as so-called "training" devices to dog owners (and more rarely to cat owners) who want to control their pets' barking or to prevent them from running away or pulling on the lead.They contribute to the physical and psychological suffering of an animal and could soon be banned in France.
On the evening of Monday January 16, French Deputies voted almost unanimously (111 votes for, 5 against) for a bill banning the sale of these coercive tools and punishing their use with a 750 euro fine. The text had received the approval of all the Assemblée Nationale's political groups in the Committee on Economic Affairs on January 10. An atmosphere of agreement thus prevailed during the adoption at first reading of this "modest but awaited" proposal which responds to strong public demand, according to its rapporteur, Renaissance Deputy for the Haute-Garonne, Corinne Vignon.
For Ms. Vignon, the banning of these collars is a way to increase responsible behaviour in dog owners, along with the professionals - educators and veterinarians - who work with them. "The problem with collars is that they are sold over the counter and the owner is not even aware that they are abusive", argues Vignon, who was named as Chair of the "condition and welfare of animals" working group at the National Assembly in December 2022. "But animals who are trained using pain and physical constraint are animals who will have physical and psychological problems, and are more likely to bite."
One in five dogs will have worn such a device
How widespread is the use of these collars? Sales figures are not known, but a study conducted in France in 2018 suggested that one in five dogs will have worn one of these devices in their lifetime. In an Opinion issued in November 2022, the French Association of Veterinarians for Pets (AFVAC) states its belief that "the use of training collars has deleterious consequences on the physical and psychological health of an animal" and that "their use in education is not justified." The association confirms that in nearly 10% of cases these collars can cause physical lesions such as burns with necrosis of the skin, that they can encourage phobic, anxious or depressive states in an animal, and can aggravate certain behavioral disorders. [end of part of article available to non-subscribers].
