{"id":485,"date":"2020-10-13T16:25:36","date_gmt":"2020-10-13T16:25:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pawcanine.com\/?p=485"},"modified":"2020-10-13T16:54:39","modified_gmt":"2020-10-13T16:54:39","slug":"oct-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pawcanine.com\/index.php\/2020\/10\/13\/oct-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"Official Pet Professional Guild Response to Petco’s Removal of Electric Shock Collars from Stores"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As most of you know, I have always spoken against the use of electric shock collars on our furry companions. I am very happy to share this article with you today. This is a reprint of the official statement by the Pet Professional Guild’s Response to Petco’s removal of electric shock collars from their stores. There are resources at the bottom if you would like more information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All my best,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Catherine<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Official PPG Statement<\/strong>   Official Pet Professional Guild Response to Petco’s Removal of Electric Shock Collars from Stores<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The Pet Professional Guild (PPG) and The Shock-Free Coalition are greatly encouraged by Petco\u2019s announcement on October 6, 2020 that it will no longer sell electric shock collars \u201coperated by a person with a remote in hand.\u201d PPG has always believed unequivocally that the pet-owning general public needs \u2013 and deserves \u2013 to have access to better educational tools so they can, 1) make the right decisions regarding their pets\u2019 training, care and welfare, and 2) ensure they live in safe, nurturing and stable environments, free from fear and pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scientific Data<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Increasingly, peer reviewed, scientific studies are showing that, whether discussing dogs, humans, dolphins or elephants, shock as a form of training to teach or correct a behavior is ineffective at best and physically and psychologically damaging at worst (Schilder & van der Borg, 2004; Schalke, Stichnoth, Ott, & Jones-Baade, 2007; Polsky, 2000; Cooper, Cracknell, Hardiman, Wright & Mills, 2014). Overall (2013) states that shock collars, aka e-collars, \u201cviolate the principles of three of five freedoms that define adequate welfare for animals: Freedom from pain, injury, and disease, freedom to express normal behavior and freedom from fear and distress.\u201d The current scientific data, in addition to the moral and ethical concerns about mental and physical damage to animals subjected to methods using force, fear and\/or pain, have moved a number of representing professional organizations* to advocate for the use of humane training techniques founded on evidence-based learning theories and avoid training methods or devices which employ coercion and force. PPG is delighted that Petco has now joined their ranks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Effects of Electric Shock<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The use and application of electric shock provides no effective strategy for an animal to learn a new or alternative behavior. Some common problems resulting from the use of electronic stimulation devices include, but are not limited to:  Infliction of Stress and Pain Generalization Escalation Global Suppression or \u201cShut-Down\u201d Fear, Anxiety and Aggression Redirected Aggression Unintended Consequences <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shock-Free Coalition<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In September 2017, the Pet Professional Guild (PPG) rolled out its Shock-Free Coalition<\/a>, the key purpose of which is to build a strong and broad movement committed to eliminating electric shock devices from the worldwide supply and demand chain. This would be achieved by:  Engaging and educating pet owners and shelter\/rescue workers to help them make informed decisions about the management, care and training of the pets in their charge. Building a worldwide coalition that provides pet owners access to competent, professional pet industry service providers. Creating widespread pet industry transparency and compliance regarding how professionals implement their services and communicate their philosophy to pet owners. Supporters are encouraged to sign the Shock-Free Pledge<\/a>, much in the same way as Petco has invited supporters to sign its #StoptheShock petition<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consumer Transparency<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of PPG\u2019s key goals is to shape the pet industry to ensure that dog trainers, behavior consultants and professional pet care providers, 1) pursue an ethical responsibility to do no harm to the animals in their care, and 2) present their qualifications and experience truthfully with full transparency and disclosure \u2013 including the training tools and methods they use. PPG recognizes that industry changes will happen in stages and, just like the progressive behavior change programs we create for the animals in our care, gradual changes must be reinforced. By encouraging \u201canyone using or looking for shock collars to consider training with treats instead of electricity and partnership instead of pain,\u201d Petco has made an important first step towards improving the lives of pets everywhere, as well as educating dog owners about alternative, kinder training methods and tools. We look forward to seeing electric fence systems, which work in exactly the same way as shock collars, i.e. by causing fear and pain, follow suit. *Including, but not limited to, the<\/em>American Animal Hospital Association<\/em><\/a>, the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, the British Veterinary Association,the New Zealand Veterinary Association, theEuropean Society of Veterinary Clinical Ethology and Pet Dog Trainers of Europe.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Resources<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pet Professional Guild. (2015). Open Letter Regarding Shock Collar Training. Available at: https:\/\/petprofessionalguild.com\/An-Open-Letter-Regarding-Shock-Collar-Training<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tudge, N.J, Nilson, S.J., Millikan, D.A., & Stapleton-Frappell, L.A. (2019). Pet Training and Behavior Consulting: A Model for Raising the Bar to Protect Professionals, Pets and Their People. (n.p.): DogNostics Career Center Publishing<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As most of you know, I have always spoken against the use of electric shock collars on our furry companions. I am very happy to share this article with you today. This is a reprint of the official statement by the Pet Professional Guild’s Response to Petco’s removal of electric shock collars from their stores. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pawcanine.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/485"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pawcanine.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pawcanine.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pawcanine.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pawcanine.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=485"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.pawcanine.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/485\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":488,"href":"https:\/\/www.pawcanine.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/485\/revisions\/488"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pawcanine.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=485"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pawcanine.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=485"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pawcanine.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=485"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}