Electronic collars

The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Regulations 2019 set out when and how electronic collars used on animals in Victoria can be:

• used
• sold
• hired
• supplied.

Electronic collars are defined in the regulations as 'an animal collar that is designed to be capable of imparting an electric shock to an animal'. This does not include citronella type collars.

Electronic collars can only be used on:

• dogs (for the purposes of remote training, anti-bark training or confinement)
• cats (for confinement purposes only)
• cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, camels, alpacas and llamas but solely for research purposes

They cannot be used on any other species.

Livestock

Legislation relating to the sale of electronic collars on livestock in Victoria.

Cats and dogs

Only authorised collars can be used on cats and dogs.

Authorised electronic collars are split into 2 categories:

• containment systems — can be used on dogs and cats
• remote training and anti-bark type collars — can be used on dogs only

Conditions of use and sale, hire or supply of electronic collars

The regulations also set out a number of conditions for the use of electronic collars on dogs, cats and specified livestock species as well as the requirements for suppliers, sellers and hirers of electronic collars.

These legislative requirements are explained on these pages:

• Electronic Collars — Anti-bark and Remote Training collars
• Electronic Collars — Containment systems
• Electronic Collars — Conditions for sellers and hirers

They have been developed for use by sellers, hirers, and suppliers of authorised electronic collars to provide to those purchasing, hiring, or receiving these collars. This enables them to meet their requirements for notification under regulation 29.

Regulation 29(4)(e) requires that anyone purchasing, hiring or receiving an electronic collar is advised in writing of the relevant conditions of use that they must comply with in Victoria.

Failure to comply with the requirements of the Regulations can result in either an infringement notice or prosecution in a court of law with a maximum penalty of 10 penalty units (approximately $1612 — based on 18/19 penalty unit value of 161.19, note penalty unit value is indexed and changes annually).