Certain Types Of Dog Collars Will Be Banned Under Spain’s New Animal Welfare Law

THE new Animal Welfare Law will come into force in Spain on September 29, and brings with it a host of changes that pet owners need to be fully aware of.

It will be implemented six months after its publication in the Official State Gazette (BOE) and as provided in said legal text, officially called Law 7/2023, of March 28, it is designed to protect the rights and welfare of animals.

In recent years, the methods used to train and educate dogs have evolved. However, the advent of this new law means that certain tools will become obsolete and even discredited and prohibited.

One such item is the punishment collar. Despite not being recommended, and with these collars already prohibited in other countries such as Holland, they could still be purchased in some stores in Spain.

The various types available on the market include choke, spiked or electric shock collars, but from September 29, they will be outlawed in Spain.

Several regions of Spain already prohibit these collars

This regulation aims to extend the prohibition that some communities have already implemented at the regional level (such as Madrid, Catalonia and Valencia), but which did not yet apply to the rest of the Spanish territory.

Article 27 of the new law states: ”The following activities on pet animals are expressly prohibited: the use of any handling tool that may cause injury to the animal is prohibited, in particular, electric, impulse, punishment or choking collars’.

Europe is against the use of electric collars for dogs

With the implementation of this law, Spain joins the growing European trend of abandoning the use of this type of collar. They are known to be annoying for dogs and can often affect their behaviour, not in the way expected, but with many negative connotations say the experts.

Just a few months ago, Aurélia Beigneux, a member of the European Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, sent a written request to the European Commission asking about the permissions associated with the sale and use of dog training electric collars.

She argued that these accessories go against the Convention for the Protection of Pets, which prohibits the use of artificial training aids that cause physical and psychological suffering.

The law will not apply to hunting or working dogs

It should be noted that the new law will not apply to working or hunting dogs, such as those used by the police, or hunters. Following an amendment presented to parliament, which was subsequently approved in Congress, these dogs have been exempt from the new law.

After September 29, families and professionals who continue using this type of collar could face fines of between €10,000 and €50,000, as the use of these collars will be considered a serious infraction, according to 20minutos.es.