Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department plans to take to ensure compliance by animal owners with the Animal Welfare (Electronic Collars) (England) Regulations 2023.

My Department will work with welfare organisations, the training sector and the veterinary profession to raise awareness of the ban on the use of e-collars ahead of the Animal Welfare (Electronic Collars) (England) Regulations coming into force. Attaching an electronic shock collar to a cat or dog, or possessing a remote-control device capable of activating such a collar when attached to a cat or dog, will be an offence under the regulations and could lead to prosecution, which may lead to a criminal penalty or an unlimited fine.