Electric Dog Collars

Should dog collars that administer electric shocks be banned? That was the BBC article that drew my interest this afternoon.

My initial reaction was that they can be a useful training device. When used in training, they make it possible to draw the subject up sharp. They are no use for rewarding good behaviour - on the continuum from "stick" to "carrot" they are definitely at the "stick" end - but still, they can keep them away from danger, stop them wandering from the path - generally it gives the keepers a bit more control over unruly, out-of-control subjects.

However, on closer investigation it turns out that the collars in question are for controlling dogs, not vicars, as I had assumed. So there's absolutely no question about it. Ban them. Now. It's vile.