An animal welfare charity says the Isle of Man should follow England’s lead and ban collars that give dogs and cats electric shocks.

This week the UK’s Environment Secretary Michael Gove MP announced plans to outlaw them.

The Dogs Trust, which campaigned for the ban, says such collars can release a shock of up to 6,000 volts into a dog’s neck for up to 11 seconds at a time.

Writing in this week’s Isle of Man Courier, the general manager of the Manx Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Juana Warburton, pressed for the Isle of Man to change the law too.

She says: ’Like most animal welfare charities, the ManxSPCA believes that dogs should be trained using positive reinforecement menthods and it does not condone the use of electric collars.’

A new Animal Welfare Act is currently being drawn up in the Isle of Man.

Ms Warburton wants the change in the law to be introduced when that is passed.

In this week’s column, she also presses for the sale of puppies by third parties to be outlawed.

Under devolution rules, Mr Gove’s measures applies only to England.

Wales and Scotland have already taken steps to prevent the use of electric collars.