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Electronic dog collars banned from Trade Me
Find out why you can’t sell certain dog collars on Trade Me.
By Trade Me 5 February 2021
Keeping our animals with compliant dog collars
Dangerous collars
Shock collars, citronella collars, and lemon spray collars are meant to change a dog's behavior. They should only be used by a professional dog trainer.
The New Zealand Veterinary Association Companion Animal Society (NZCAC), SPCA, and SAFE have given Trade Me a lot of information about how dangerous these types of collars can be to dogs.
The risks
These collars can seriously hurt dogs if they are used incorrectly or not used at all. They cause:
- extreme distress
- pain
- anxiety
- depression.
These collars are designed to punish a dog, and that can make some dogs even more nervous or aggressive.
Citronella collars
Citronella collars are often seen as a more humane option than shock collars, but there is still a lot of debate about how these collars affect dogs. We’ve decided to stop selling citronella collars because we want to make sure dogs are safe.
Selling collars on Trade Me
We don’t allow the sale of any collar that shocks, sprays citronella or lemon spray, and doesn’t warn a dog before it starts working. This means you can’t buy these collars on Trade Me:
- handheld operated remote control electric shock collars
- noise activated electric shock anti-bark collars
- collars emitting Citronella or lemon spray.
We do allow the sale of collars that give a warning before they start working or don’t hurt the dog. Here are a few examples:
- Underground wire (sonic boundary) kits: These kits warn a dog before giving a shock or spraying citronella.
- Vibrating collars: These collars don’t shock the dog.
- Sound-emitting collars: These collars make a sound, like an ultrasound, but they don’t shock the dog.
Sellers are required to make sure the collars they sell on Trade Me do not have sharp studs that could hurt the dog.
Any listings on Trade Me that violate these rules will be removed.
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