(QLD) Ban Prong Collars

Author: Emily McDonald | Publish date: 07/04/2025

Problem Identification: 

In QLD, pet owners can still legally use prong collars if they provide a ‘reasonable excuse’.

Section 37A of the Animal Care and Protection Act 2001 (QLD) permits prong collars if pet owners provide a ‘reasonable excuse’ for their use.

This means that pet owners can still use prong collars. These collars are known to cause pain, tissue damage [including to the trachea (windpipe), the oesophagus, and thyroid glands], and even in some cases brain injury and death. Additionally, the psychological effects of aversive training methods are associated with aggressive behaviour in animals, potentially posing a risk to the community.

Context: 

The Animal Care and Protection Act 2001 (QLD) defines prong collars as consisting of a “series of links or segments with prongs, teeth or blunted open ends turned towards the skin of a dog so that, when the collar is tightened, the collar pinches the skin around the dog’s neck”. 

Image 1: Example of Prong Collar

The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) has flagged prong collars as not to be “used under any circumstances due to their highly aversive nature.” Many advocates argue there is no ‘reasonable excuse’ for using a prong collar. 

Prong collars are illegal to import into Australia however they are known to still be being used. 

Research has demonstrated that positive reinforcement is more effective in modifying behaviour. With support from RSPCA Australia, AVA has stated: "The use of positive reinforcement training methods is recommended for modifying the behaviour of dogs”. The RSPCA’s ‘Companion Animal Management’ policy states that methods used to train companion animals must be humane, low-stress, force-free, reward-based, and grounded in an evidence-based understanding of how animals learn, avoiding any injury, pain, suffering, or distress.

In Australia, the following groups have called for prohibiting prong collars: AVA, RSPCA Australia, Australian Alliance for Animals, Association of Pet Dog Trainers Australia, and Pet Professional Guild Australia. They say this could address the issues associated with aversive-based methods (i.e. prong collars), by improving general welfare, reducing problematic

behaviours, and strengthening the bond between animal and owner. 

There is domestic precedent for banning prong collars. Using pronged collars on ‘any animal’ is illegal in VIC, and anyone caught doing so faces a fine of 10 penalty units. In TAS, prong collars are prohibited on ‘an animal’, carrying with it ‘a fine not exceeding 100 penalty units or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, or both’.

Solution Identification: 

Amend Section 37A of the Animal Care and Protection Act 2001 (QLD) to omit 'reasonable excuse', thereby prohibiting prong collars in QLD. 

This could help address concerns about prong collars in QLD, which have been identified as harmful.

Advice:

The QLD Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries should amend Section 37A of the Animal Care and Protection Act 2001 (QLD) to remove ‘reasonable excuse’ within the context of prong collars at the next opportunity.

---

Public Support: 

1. The Australian Veterinary Association

2. RSPCA Australia

3. RSPCA United Kingdom

4. Australian Alliance for Animals

5. Pet Professional Guild Australia

6. Welfare for Animals

7. PETA

8. Four Paws International

9. American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior

Where to go to learn more: 

1. The Animal Care and Protection Act 2001 (QLD) laws. https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/pdf/current/act-2001-064#page=40

2. The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 (VIC).https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/acts/prevention-cruelty-animals-act-1986/096

3. The Animal Welfare Act 1993 (TAS) https://www.legislation.tas.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/act-1993-063

4. Information concerning fines for the possession of a prong collar in QLD. https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/farms-fishing-forestry/agriculture/animal/health/welfare/qld/prohibited

5. Opinion piece by veterinarian Dr Patty Khuly. https://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/why-this-veterinarian-hates-prong-aka-pinch-collars

6. Opinion piece by veterinarian Dr Jeannine Berge. https://www.baywoof.org/ask-dr-dog/ask-dr-dog/the-truth-about-prong-collars

7. Myths and facts compiled by a veterinary hospital. https://companionveterinaryhospital.com/prong-collar-alternatives/

Human Perspective:

Aurelia, a passionate veterinarian practitioner in Queensland, has long been concerned about the use of prong collars in dog training. She’s seen firsthand the harm they cause—from puncture wounds and infections to lasting psychological trauma—and has consistently advocated for their ban. Just this week, she performed yet another surgery on a dog injured by one of these devices, a painful reminder of how common these cases still are. While earlier legislative changes led to a decline in their use, many continue to exploit the vague 'reasonable excuse' clause to justify them, leaving dogs vulnerable and practitioners like Aurelia fighting an uphill battle to protect them.

To protect the anonymity of those involved, this is a fictionalised account drawn from an amalgamation of real-life stories, experiences, and testimonials gathered during the research process for this brief. Any resemblance to actual individuals is purely coincidental.

Conflict of interest/acknowledgment statement: 

N/a.

Support 

If your organisation would like to add your support to this paper or suggest amendments, please email Info@foreaustralia.com. 

Reference list: 

Answer to Question on Notice - Evidence of the animal welfare impacts of prong collars. (n.d.). Australian Alliance for Animals. Retrieved January 12, 2025. https://documents.parliament.qld.gov.au/com/SDRIC-F506/ACPAB2022-D15B/220628%20-%20Alliance%20for%20Animals%20-%20response%20to%20QoN%20from%20public%20hearing%20on%2015%20June%202022.pdf

Are dog-pronged collars illegal in Australia? – RSPCA Knowledgebase. (2024, June 3). RSPCA Australia. Retrieved January 12, 2025.https://kb.rspca.org.au/knowledge-base/are-dog-pronged-collars-illegal-in-australia/

Australian Veterinary Association | AVA. (2025). Australian Veterinary Association. Retrieved January 15, 2025.https://www.ava.com.au/

Casey, R., Naj-Oleari, M., Campbell, S., Mendl, M., & Blackwell, E. (2021). Dogs are more pessimistic if their owners use two or more aversive training methods. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 19023. Retrieved January 12, 2025.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-97743-0

Caterina Vieira de Castro, A., Fuchs, D., Munhoz Morello, G., Pastur, S., de Sousa, L., & Olsson, I. A. S. (2020). Does training method matter? Evidence for the negative impact of aversive-based methods on companion dog welfare. PLOS ONE, 15(12). Retrieved January 12, 2025.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0225023

Dinwoodie, I., Zottola, V., & Dodman, N. (2021). An investigation into the impact of pre-adolescent training on canine behavior. Animals, 11(5), 1298. Retrieved January 17, 2025.https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11051298

Dog collars: Why making the right choice is so important. (2022, August 17). Four Paws International. Retrieved January 12, 2025. https://www.four-paws.org/our-stories/publications-guides/dog-collars

Don’t jerk or pull: Use a harness – Part 2/4. (2020, February 13). Welfare for Animals. Retrieved January 12, 2025. https://www.welfare4animals.org/blog/dont-jerk-or-pull-use-a-harness-part-24

Lord, M., Casey, R., Kinsman, R., Tasker, S., Knowles, T., Da Costa, R., Woodward, J., & Murray, J. (2020). Owner perception of problem behaviours in dogs aged 6 and 9 months. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 232, 105147. Retrieved January 17, 2025.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2020.105147

Offences under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986. (2023, April 19). Dogs Victoria. Retrieved January 27, 2025. https://dogsvictoria.org.au/media/5385/cl6-offences-under-the-prevention-of-cruelty-to-animals-act-1986-19-apr-23.pdf 

Pet professionals warn punishment-based training is harmful to dogs. (2023, September 25). Vet Practice Magazine. Retrieved January 27, 2025. https://www.vetpracticemag.com.au/pet-professionals-warn-punishment-based-training-is-harmful-to-dogs/ https://www.vetpracticemag.com.au/pet-professionals-warn-punishment-based-training-is-harmful-to-dogs/

Position statement on humane dog training. (2021). American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior. Retrieved January 12, 2025. https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/AVSAB-Humane-Dog-Training-Position-Statement-2021.pdf 

Position statement on the use of choke and prong collars. (n.d.). Pet Professional Guild Australia. Retrieved January 12, 2025. https://ppgaustralia.net.au/Library/Position-Statements/chokeandprongcollarpositionstatement 

Reward-based training: a guide for dog trainers. (n.d.). Australian Veterinary Association. Retrieved January 18, 2025. https://www.ava.com.au/siteassets/policy-and-advocacy/policies/animal-welfare-principles-and-philosophy/reward-based-training-brochure-web.pdf 

RSPCA Policy A7 Companion animal management. (April 26, 2024). RSPCA Knowledgebase. Retrieved March 6, 2025. https://kb.rspca.org.au/knowledge-base/rspca-policy-a7-companion-animal-management/ 

Stinnett, L. (n.d.). Taking the veterinary practice prong collar free. CAB International Digital Library. Retrieved January 12, 2025. https://doi.org/10.5555/20203572860 

The best-ever walking harness for your dog (and the must-avoid collars and leads). (2018, September 11). RSPCA Australia. Retrieved January 12, 2025. https://www.rspcasa.org.au/best-walking-harness-dogs/ 

The use of punishment and negative reinforcement in dog training. (2021, November 5). Australian Veterinary Association. Retrieved January 18, 2025. https://www.ava.com.au/policy-advocacy/policies/companion-animals-dog-behaviour/the-use-of-punishment-and-negative-reinforcement-in-dog-training/ 

Townsend, L., Dixon, L., & Buckley, L. (2022). Lead pulling as a welfare concern in pet dogs: What can veterinary professionals learn from current research? Veterinary Record, 191(10). Retrieved January 12, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1002/vetr.1627 

Use of behaviour-modifying collars on dogs. (2022, July 15). Australian Veterinary Association. Retrieved January 12, 2025. https://www.ava.com.au/policy-advocacy/policies/companion-animals-dog-behaviour/use-of-behaviour-modifying-collars-on-dogs

Verbeek, P., Majure, C. A., Quattrochi, L., & Turner, S. J. (2024). The welfare of dogs as an aspect of the human-dog bond: A scoping review. Animals, 14(13), 1985–1985. Retrieved January 17, 2025. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14131985 

Ziv, G. (2017). The effects of using aversive training methods in dogs—A review. Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 19(1), 50–60. Retrieved January 12, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2017.02.004 

What are the dangers of using choke and prong collars? (n.d.). PETA. Retrieved January 12, 2025. https://www.peta.org/about-peta/faq/what-are-the-dangers-of-using-choke-and-prong-collars/ 

What is positive reinforcement training for your dog? (2022, June 29). RSPCA Pet Insurance.  Retrieved January 12, 2025.  https://www.rspcapetinsurance.org.au/pet-care/responsible-pet-ownership/positive-reinforcement-training 

Why prong collars are harmful to dogs. (2024). RSPCA United Kingdom. Retrieved January 12, 2025. https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/training/prongcollars