Debate contribution: Aversive Training Tools for Domestic Animals

Debate contribution by Mr Andrew McMurray on 5 October 2026.

MLA: Mr Andrew McMurray
Party at the time: Alliance Party
Date: 5 October 2026
Type: Debate contribution
Business: Private Members' Business
Heading: Aversive Training Tools for Domestic Animals
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 5774737

Text

Thank you very much, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. I am glad to speak on the motion. Having listened to other Members' contributions, I will take the opportunity to reflect on my experience of training my dog. Members will be aware that I am the proud owner of a wonderful dog, Rey, who is so wonderful that she is the reigning Stormont Dog of the Year. Before Rey, we had Dude Dog, a golden lab. When I say "lab", I mean that he was part lab, part polar bear. They were two very different dogs but, thankfully, both lovely-natured and easy to train. Well, Rey was easy to train; the Dude would just abide.
Training a dog is such an important process. "Sit", "Stay", "Heel" and all those things make it into a game. Even though no one has asked, I will tell you what, I think, the most important drill in dog training is: get the dog to sit and then let him or her feed only when you say so. That is an important and effective method. It is positive and about affirmation, rewards and role, and it gives the dog a purpose. While it can be hard not to become frustrated and impatient at times, getting cross in any relationship serves no purpose. A scared dog will not want to listen to you, never mind come anywhere near you. I am just a layman dog trainer, however; I just go by what I have picked up from other dog trainers. No one whom I have spoken to would endorse the use of electric shock collars. A sheep man told me:
"There's no point. It just fries their head. Only digs a bigger hole for yourself".
A gun dog man told me:
"Wouldn't dream of using one. There are more suitable ways of correcting behaviour. I am against their use".
Others said, "Cause more harm than good", "Wouldn't use one", and "Can do real, long-lasting damage". Those are some of the responses that I have had from people who know much more about the subject than I do. The representative organisations have also made known their views on the issue. Aversive training tools are cruel, dangerous and counterproductive: the British Small Animal Veterinary Association therefore recommends that they should not be used to train animals. One study showed that owners were more confident about applying reward-based methods, which suggests that such methods are more sustainable for medium-to-long-term training. That evidence is reflected in the position taken by the British Small Animal Veterinary Association:
"There is substantial research evidence of the superiority of reward-based training methods".
I am not convinced by the exemptions that are proposed in the motion. As the Minister has outlined, for emergency and high-risk situations, professionals already have access to established handling and restraint methods such as muzzle, net, control pole, humane trap, slip lead and, if needed, sedation and anaesthesia. That is not the same as using aversive training devices to modify behaviour by applying pain and discomfort. The Minister recognised that there may be separate considerations for specified service dogs operating in a particular public safety and security context that is different from that of companion animals. The Minister rightly recognised, however, that exemptions for such considerations would need to be tightly drawn, based on evidence and capable of being enforced. My party has a proud history of promoting animal welfare, as my colleague Mr Blair detailed, and it is a priority for us. Aversive training devices are unnecessary because other, much more humane and effective methods are available. Studies clearly show that reward-based methods are as effective as aversive methods and lead to better welfare outcomes. As Mr Blair stated, we agree that there is a need for legislation, and we want to see aversive training tools banned. The legal situation on these islands is a mixed picture, with electronic collars banned in Wales and guidance in Scotland that discourages their use. Nothing is yet in place in Northern Ireland, but we should be at the forefront of the movement. I thank Minister Muir for his work towards achieving that goal. Banning aversive training tools already forms part of Minister Muir's animal welfare pathway, and I look forward to the introduction of the relevant secondary legislation.

713 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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