# The Animal Welfare (Electronic Collars) (England) Regulations 2023, Regulation 2: Offences relating to the attachment of an electronic collar to a cat or dog


(1) A person commits an offence if—
(a) the person is responsible for a cat or dog; and
(b) the person—
(i) attaches an electronic collar to the cat or dog in England; or
(ii) causes an electronic collar to be attached to the cat or dog in England.
(2) A person commits an offence if—
(a) the person is responsible for a cat or dog; and
(b) at any time when the person is responsible for the cat or dog—
(i) the cat or dog is wearing an electronic collar; and
(ii) the person is in possession of a remote-control device in England which is designed or adapted for activating and controlling the electronic collar remotely.
(3) Paragraphs (1) and (2) do not apply in relation to any conduct of a member of the armed forces that is necessary for defence purposes.
(4) In this regulation—
“Act” means the Animal Welfare Act 2006;
“armed forces” means Her Majesty’s forces (within the meaning of the Armed Forces Act 2006);
“collar” means a collar, harness or any item which may be worn by a cat or dog;
“electronic collar” means a collar with an integrated electronic device that may be activated and directly controlled by a person by means of a remote-control device so as to send an electric current from the collar to the cat or dog that is wearing the collar.
(5) In paragraphs (1) and (2), the references to a person who is responsible for a cat or dog are to be read in accordance with section 3 of the Act.
(6) In paragraph (3), the reference to any conduct that is necessary for defence purposes includes any conduct in the interests of national security or public safety or for the prevention or detection of serious crime.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2023/9780348247305/regulation/2 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/draft-animal-welfare-electronic-collars-england-regulations-2023/regulation-2
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.