Training of dogs--legal assessment of the use of electric collars

The use of an electric collar for training dogs is fundamentally forbidden. The verdict of the Federal German Administrative Court dated February 23, 2006 (ref. 3 C 14.05) provides legal clarity and indicates the approach to be taken to enable exceptions from the fundamental ban on electric collars. It is particularly to prevent the misuse of electric collars in the interests of animal welfare that federal legislation should further develop the approach specified in 1998 by including Article 3, No. 11 of the German act on the prevention of cruelty to animals (TierSchG). In this context, it is recommended to continue intensive specialist debate on the question of whether and, where applicable, to what extent the use of electric collars may be permitted, e.g. within the context of training dogs.