Office of the Chief Veterinary Office

Ms S. Smith

Office of the Chief Veterinary Office

Welsh Assembly Government

Department of Rural Affairs

Cathays Park

CARDIFF

CF10 3NQ

TJGJ/jst

7th February 2008

Dear Ms Smith

I write to offer my experience on the issue of “Electronic Shock collars” to be considered by the Welsh assembly.

My “credentials” are that I am a leading expert on feline medicine. My post is Professor of Feline Medicine and I am head of the Feline Centre at the University of Bristol, which is the leading UK clinical centre for feline studies. My career of over thirty years has been dedicated to feline work and I was the first to be recognised as a specialist in feline medicine by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. I have been actively involved in feline welfare charities, which has included 20 years as Chairman of the Feline Advisory Bureau and I am currently deputy chairman of Cats Protection, the largest UK feline welfare charity.

I also have personal experience of the use of the Freedom Fence for my own cats (I have “trained” 8 cats) as well as close contact with a number of colleagues/friends who have used the Freedom Fence, on my recommendation, for around another 12 cats.

My experience is restricted to the use of “invisible” containment fences for cats. I have no experience of the use of electronic collars in dogs and I feel it is very important that the difference in comparing the use of collars in cats and dogs is appreciated – and that the use of collars in cats is considered as a separate issue. “Correction collars” are not used in cats to my knowledge. Electronic collars are used solely for containment and there are important differences in their use in cats, compared to dogs, for this purpose.

Most people who use containment fences for cats do so because of previous distressing experience of having their cats involved in road traffic accidents. This was so in my case. I live in a quiet countryside area, but near a road. I have had two cats killed on the road and two badly injured. It became a choice of either confining my cats indoors (which I feel can significantly detract from a cat’s quality of life), have no cats or have a “freedom fence”. The installation of the fence has prevented any further road accidents or injuries to my 5 cats in the five years since I have had it.

This is the reason why most people use a containment fence for cats. In the case of dogs, a containment fence can allow dogs to be left in a garden unattended, but dogs can still have access outside without the need for a fence, through supervised walks with the owner. This is not possible for cats so a containment fence can be the only option if an owner wishes their cats to have access outside, but to avoid the risk of injury through road accidents. The containment fences are expensive (the total cost of my system was approaching £1000) so I believe that it is only responsible, caring owners who are highly motivated about the welfare of their cats, who use them.

My experience (of approaching 20 cats, including pedigree and non-pedigree cats) in a variety of different situations is that all cats have learned immediately how the fence works. They learn from the initial shock and subsequently respond to the warning sound to avoid the fence. I am almost certain that all my cats have never experienced a “shock” after the first learning experience.

I am aware that welfare concerns have been raised, particularly by some vociferous behaviourists. Nearly all the behaviourists I have discussed this with have admitted that they have no direct experience of the use of the fences with cats. I do, and I have not encountered any significant problems. I have heard largely anecdotal reports of behavioural problems arising from their use. I work with one of the leading feline veterinary behaviourists and my understanding is that her experience of problems relates to one likely case and one possible case. Any concerns about adverse effects of collars (which I believe are rare and usually minor) have to be balanced against the benefits of the fences. Road traffic accidents have been documented to be by far the most common single cause of premature death in cats. They also cause severe welfare issues through injuries, often severe, sustained through traffic accidents. Containment fences can contribute to enhancing quality of life for some cats that would otherwise be denied access outdoors and avoiding some of the behavioural and other issues that are recognised in cats confined indoors.

I do recognise that some consideration as to the suitability of particular situations is important and that a code of practice/guidelines for the use of fences may be advisable. My experience of the company from whom I purchased my system is that they act very responsibly in considering whether or not a system is appropriate.

The principle of the use of containment fences for cats is no different from that of their use for livestock and horses – the only difference is in the visibility of the fence.

I admit to being a passionate advocate of the fences for cats because I strongly believe that they have enormous welfare benefits. My experience of everyone else who I know who uses these fences is just as positive – if not perhaps so passionate.

In summary I believe there is an irrefutable case for the benefits of containment fences in cats, largely through preventing road traffic accidents, and banning them would be totally inappropriate.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Tim Gruffydd-Jones