TRENTON, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — A bill in New Jersey's state legislature that would have created licensing for dog trainers and banned certain training tools like electric and pronged collars, was pulled after dog trainers lined up to give public testimony against the legislation.
Senate Bill S3814 was sponsored by State Senator Vin Gopal and never made it to a vote in front of the New Jersey Senate's Economic Growth Committee hearing on Monday.
Several trainers, dog owners and organizations like the American Kennel Club lined up to testify against the bill during the committee hearing, saying all dogs are different and the positive-reinforcement-only approach to training sounds nice, but is not rooted in reality.
"The truth is harder to accept but it remains the truth. Aversives are a natural part of canine life. Dogs correct each other constantly and use the fear of correction to establish social hierarchy and deter unwanted behavior," said one speaker.
They went on to say that aversives are not abusive nor dangerous when applied properly.
"In many cases, their effective use provides the clearest way to communicate with a dog and modify behavior because it aligns with the natural way dogs learn," they said.
Other trainers said the most-difficult-to-tame dogs will end up in shelters that will become overrun and they will likely be euthanized if their owners can't control them.
After the bill was pulled on Monday, it's unclear what happens next with the legislation.
