GILES Watling has backed the Dogs Trust’s call for the Government to ban the sale of electric shock collars.

The animal charity launched its Shockingly Legal campaign to urge the Government to ban the sale of electronic shock collars.

Clacton MP Mr Watling attended at the House of Commons to pledge his support to help ban the use and sale of the “aversive training devices”.

Mr Watling said: “These awful things are currently on sale and in my view they should be banned. I have had and taken care of dogs all my life and have never found the need for such devices.”

A poll by the charity revealed a third of the public believe shock collars are already illegal, but it said buying and using one of devices to correct a dog’s behaviour is “shockingly” still lawful.