Petition to reconsider electric shock ban
A pet-owning couple are calling the Welsh government to amend its ban on electric shock fences, made illegal at the same time as electric shock collars.
The ban on both devices came into place in Wales in 2010, following controversy over using shocks to train animals. Anyone caught using such a fence or collar in the country can now be fined up to £20,000 or jailed for up to six months.
Campaigners Monima and Martyn O'Connor said they support the collar ban, however, they believe pet owners should still be allowed to install the fences, which send a shock to animals if they get too close to a boundary.
Mrs O'Connor took an interest in the use of the invisible fences last year, after two of her cats died outside her home in road traffic accidents.
Her husband, while adding that the shocks are mild, said animals soon learn not to approach the boundary.
"Nobody really considers it to be dangerous or harmful to pets in any way and it's certainly not as intensive as livestock fencing," he commented.
The couple have submitted a petition to the Welsh government that holds 500 signatures.
With Strangles Awareness Week just around the corner (5-11 May), vets are being encouraged to share a survey about the disease with their horse-owning clients.
