In December 2016, the city of Toronto conducted a review on dog behaviour and responsible dog ownership. Per the city of Toronto’s website on the 13th December 2016 .
The City Council adopted a series of amendments to the Toronto Municipal Code chapter dealing with dangerous dogs – specifically the prevention of dog bites, the risks associated with dangerous dogs and the responsibilities of dog owners. Responsibilities now include muzzling the dog and displaying warning signs on the property, among others. The amendments also address matters of animal welfare.
With effect from March 1st 2017, the City of Toronto Municipal code Chapter 349 by law 102-2017 have made amendments to provide new regulations for the care and control of dangerous dogs to protect the public. As part of the update the city banned the use of prong collars, choke collars and choke chains.
E. By adding as a new section § 349-8.1, the following: § 349-8.1. Choke collar, choke chain, pronged collar. A. No person shall use a choke collar, choke chain, pronged collar or any similar device at any time on a dog. B. Subsection A does not apply to the use of a martingale collar on a dog
We published a post on our Facebook Page on Friday 3rd March informing the people of Toronto that the prong collar has now being banned and it’s illegal for owners to use on their dogs – both by tether and for walking; use of the collar is forbidden. The post went viral and peoples responses were at polar ends from eachother. Either people where ecstatic at the news and couldn’t be happier that the use of the prong collars have been banned as it inflicts pain on a dog while others thought it was ridiculous and no such ban should be enforced as the prong only causes pressure and mirrors the “mother’s correction bite”.
Here are a few examples of comments left from those who are for and against the changes.
“There are ways of teaching dogs to walk politely on a loose leash that don’t involve squeezing their neck with metal. The most successful dog training schools in the world don’t allow them and haven’t for years. You don’t need them, there are better ways.”
“So many of the responses from people who are against prong collars are based on personal emotions and not facts or even experience. People who have serious behaviour problems in their dogs need to know the facts about training tools such as prong collars and even e collars. Emotional abusing people for making educated choses that are actually best for both dog anabolic owner is bullying plain and simple. If they don’t work for you don’t use them. If you see a dog actually being abused report it, but leave the rest of us, who are making responsible, and loving decisions, alone.”
“I used one of these on my dog. Only way I can walk him and have him listen to me was training with this collar. It isn’t pain, its pressure.”
“I reluctantly had to start using a prong collar on our dog because he started to literally yank so hard when he saw a squirrel that he dislocated my shoulder twice. I tried 5 different types of leads with him and I finally caved and tried the prong collar. Now he walks loose leash right beside me and doesn’t pull. I take him for walks several times a day as he comes with me every single time I walk my daughter to and from school plus we also go for about an hr long walk every evening depending on weather so he gets plenty of exercise. What am I supposed to use now to walk him?”
“It is just for those lazy human to use it! Not for smart human who understand the nature of animal then they can coach them to do what human want them to do.”
“How the hell was something like that ever even invented and then manufactured! Shame for letting it go on this long! But better late then never!”
We reached out to the City of Toronto to find out more information on how the ban will be governed and what the set fines are. The ban does not forbid the sale of prong, choke or chain collars with the city limits. When the details of fines have been published we will update our post.
I have been informed by Toronto Animal Services staff that the By-law does not ban the sale of choke collars, choke chains, or pronged collars but their use. In addition, we are currently finalizing the set fines and fine amounts with the Ministry of the Attorney General’s office as per procedure.
Some of the other updates to the by law include:
- No person shall allow an animal to remain outdoors in extreme weather conditions without adequate protection from the elements. Extreme weather defined when weather warnings such as cold, heat or other weather warnings issued by either Environment Canada or The City of Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health for the city of Toronto.
- No animal is allowed to be tethered unsupervised for a period longer than one hour.
- Animals that are tethered are not allowed to be tethered using any of the following: choke collar, choke chain, pronged collar or any similar device.
- Changes to definitions of ATTACK, DANGEROUS DOG, DANGEROURS ACT & EXTREME WEATHER. A copy of the changes can be found here or copy and paste the following URLs -> http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=25247be19d30f410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD AND http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/bylaws/2017/law0102.pdf
The initial Facebook post can be found here or copy and past this link -> https://www.facebook.com/TorontoDW/posts/1333057346733081:0
How do you feel about the ban? Join in the conversation on our Facebook page!
My 120lb dog was unmanageable until we began, reluctantly, to use a prong collar. He has never suffered from its use and will still exert enough pressure on his leash to pull my 175lbs off my feet if he takes off unexpectedly after a coyote. The prong slows him down enough to keep him under control in most instances.
The ban is based on an unproven assumption that the prong collar is cruel and an instrument of torture. What nonsense. If it were cruel, he would object to having it put on every day. He looks forward to having it on since it means he is going for a walk.
Hi Keith! Does the ban affect you and your pup? If so what do you plan do use instead of the prong?
In small dogs under 40-50lbs this might not be totally idiotic, however I highly doubt anyone who signed this petition had a proper sized dog. My German Sheppard is very well behaved but when we walked him with a normal collar he pulls hard, the collar rubs his fur and pulls it out, and he’s much harder to control. With a choker he’s amazing. I think everyone who signed or voted for this lunacy should be made to walk an 8 month old rottwieler stud for 5km with a choker collar and then again with a normal collar, if they still think the animal is in any pain they’re insane. Choke collars make it possible for smaller adults and children to walk their dogs without worrying about it pulling them around.
This law is basically discriminatory to the kind of dog a person is allowed to buy now, say you only weight 110lbs, (relatively small woman) ANY large breed dog could pull you off your feet and drag you around with a normal collar. In other words now it’s unsafe to own large dogs unless you’re much stronge than them.
These laws show how ignorant people are especially when there are ELECTRIC SHOCK COLLARS that are way less ethical but nobody seems to care about those cause they aren’t as common in Toronto.
My opinion? This is a pathetic attempt to fine people for extra revenue otherwise they’d make them illegal to sell not just use.
That’s like saying it’s fine to sell crack but don’t you F*cking think about using it.
Seriously?
Wtf is wrong with people
I thought selling would go hand in hand with the ban. Maybe a change down the road but I agree with you, if you can’t use them in the city they shouldn’t be for sale in the city!
Keith,
I completely agree with your use of a prong collar. It is a great tool and can be used very humanely to keep your dog safe during walks. Ignorance is the big issue with a ban like this.
I do however, have a problem with you doing the exact same thing with “ELECTRIC SHOCK COLLARS”. They are also great tools for dog owners, and can used as an exceptional training tool. Any type collar can be used incorrectly to abuse a dog.
I use an E Collar on both of my large breed hunting dogs when we go up in the mountains. The collar is set to vibrate, but I will turn it to shock if they see a moose/lion/bear ect that they will most likely get hurt chasing. This is for their own safety, and believe me that shock doesn’t even hurt. I’ve tried it on myself at the highest level. It’s a tool plain and simple. And an effective one. My dogs have been shocked exactly once and that was an encounter with a large animal in the woods they were giving chase to. If the choice is putting something you consider “inhumane” on them or watching them get attacked, lost or killed…..lol well that seems like an easy choice to me. And before everyone says I shouldn’t have my dogs off leash if they chase animals: they are highly trained with great recall, HOWEVER they are dogs, they have instincts and big game is what they’re bred to kill, It’s in their DNA.
Totally agree with your comment about the choke chains btw. I just think that same principle applies to e collars and hunting breeds.
people are the issue when it comes to animal cruelty not the tools. laws are way to lenient on animal cruelty offenders. whats next, a ban on e-collars. flat collars cause way more damage on the neck of a dog than a prong collar that is used properly. i love walking my 100lb german shepherd on a prong…she does not pull at all. we walk by someone with a puny dog and their dog is pulling aggressively on their leash and flat collar gasping and choking to get at us…poor dog probably does this 5 times a day..poor neck. would not happen if PROPERLY trained with prong. by the way..prongs should never be used as a tie out collar!!
In today’s Toroto Star article, Councillor Glenn De Baeremaeker states, “if you’re not able to handle a really large dog, don’t buy a really large dog”. Well my really large 85 pound dog was rescued, not purchased. He was given up because his previous owner couldn’t control him. I tried every type of collar, and was pulled off my feet and hurt. My dog also got away from me and ran on the road. He could have been killed. Not wanting him to have another person give up, I hired a well regarded trainer recommended by animal services. The first thing the trainer did was properly fit a prong collar for me. Very much like a Martingale, when fitted properly, the prongs do not cause any damage or pain to the dog. The feeling of the prong touching their skin is just enough motivation for them not to pull. It was an immediate miracle. I could now walk my boy without any fear of falling and getting hurt, and he was also safe. The trainer said, “you can’t go wrong with a prong”. Now I’m 9 years older than when I got my dog, I have bad arthritis in my knees, hands and degenerative discs in my back. But I can still walk my dog because I use the prong still. My dog is almost 11 and can still pull if he isn’t wearing this collar. If I get fined, I will fight the fine. And, I won’t give up my dog.
As someone who has worked with dogs for forty years I am saddened to hear of the ban Toronto has on prong collars & slip leads.
First off dog owners should be aware that your best tool in working with dogs is your energy. Not the equipment you put on them. If you are anxious & nervous & yanking on your dog, it doesn’t matter what type of equipment you are using, the dog will become stressed.
If you are calm & confident you will have a much easier time controlling your dog. Having worked in shelters that only use positive reinforcement reward based training, I have seen the unfortunate result of them not being able to rehabilitate aggressive dogs with R+ training methods. These dogs were euthanized. They were unwilling to let anyone else try a different training method to rehabilitate these dogs.
If you hire a repair person to come to your house to fix something & they come with only one tool in their tool box, wouldn’t you be a little concerned?
I have nothing against R+ training methods, I use some of it in my work with dogs, however it is not all I use. I usually don’t use treats, as this takes the focus off of you, & can make the dog only responsive to treats.
Prong collars and slip leads are great tools if used properly. A prong collar should never be slipped over a dogs neck. It should be fastened on under the ears, with a snug not tight fit. Sean O’ Shea has some excellent videos on how to properly put on a prong collar.
If you have a dog with issues concerning the nose, ears, eyes & mouth. You want to control the head. This is what the slip lead & prong collar do, apply pressure to where the dog is responsive to. You can have a hard time doing this with a harness.
When you watch dogs play do they grab the front of the chest or the neck to get the other dogs attention?
About 85% of the behavior issues I see in the dogs I work with stem from their owners.
I hope Toronto reconsiders this ban, as it can do more harm then good.
Calm, Confidence, & Consistence = Balance
Will not be visiting Toronto with my pups. I’ll spend my tourism dollars elsewhere.
I have owned a dog that has had one of these used on him and the marks on his neck were terrible nor did it help to stop him from pulling i payed big bucks on vet bills to save this dog so yes im very happy that these are now gone!!! Let me put it around ur neck and see how you guys like it
Sorry but you’re out to lunch… If you really have a dog that was injured by a prong collar, you are scapegoating the collar!
The dog certainly was not abused by a prong, they were abused by a person (at most with a prong) who should by all means be accountable for their crime!
Sadly I’ve seen such injuries before, invariably it’s the result of severe abuse by attaching small sized collars to growing dogs & left in place for months min (or specific to prongs, stupidly sharpened the dull prongs).
I’ve seen it occur with flats, prongs, chokes, halties & far worse! While none is good to use as such (no collar should be on 24/7/365); ironically, of the lot, prongs are most survivable due to greater expansion room & not immediately impairing breathing.
That said when used properly, the prong is the only 1 that does not cause extensive damage to throat.
Realistically, these laws are simply a facade, pretending they are actually serious about addressing animal abuse. Indeed, someone can still torture their pet to death publicly & then go get a new pet to torture without any accountability!
Worse yet, if the animal bites in defense, they’ll be blamed for it! Congrats, you are supporting the very system that enables the ongoing abuse of animals with impunity!
As for putting a prong collar on my own neck 1st; I did, when being trained on how to use it & again, when being trained to train others. Just as I did with every type of tool I’ve used on my animals &/or recommended. Just as I do with every person I train to use any tool. It’s only fair!
While I would definitely not want to strangle myself against it; that’s largely the point of it. Why would I even want a collar certain to cause injury & won’t discourage pulling compared to 1 that won’t harm, plainly explains in dog not to pull & ensures I always have full control of him?
He only wears it if he’s working or going for a walk, it certainly never stays on for any considerable length of time… However, it does mean that I have a life I can lead because I can have the service dog that I need!
Without prong/slip collars, most service dogs, all police dogs, nearly every shelter/rescue, rehabilitating rescues, majority of working type dogs, etc. are all effective being killed off with this unjustifiable bylaw!
So yeah, maybe it’s you that needs self reflection & education; I know that I do so regardless of what anyone thinks of me!
I’ve been professionally trained in all schools of dog training & that’s how I know that a prong collar is just another useful tool in my toolbox that allows me to work with any dog.
Unlike positive only trainers, I don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater; since I have other tools at my disposal, when positive only fails, I don’t have to endlessly put top sleep normal healthy dogs.
Adam
I have a ptsd service dog. He acts completely different when he has the prong collar on. I’m able to have him loose leash walking while in public and rarely have to put my hand on his lead to direct him. Now that’s only when he’s in “service”, any other time I use a harness and a retractable leash letting him be a dog. There is no harm it only uses equal pressure on the tips which causes the dog to focus. My dog is only 15 lbs he has never had a mark, bruise or puncture on his neck and he knows to behave while it’s on. If I couldn’t use it my anxieties would be at a level that I wouldn’t be able to be in public anymore because I would be stressed by his in proper behavior while in service