Ethical products: a strategic necessity for industry success
How can pet players contribute to prioritizing ethical pro-welfare practices as part of their daily business?
As the demand for pet-related products and services continues to rise, business-to-business (B2B) pet players must recognize the long-term benefits of following the public’s concern for animal welfare and prioritizing ethical practices. As the campaign against the use of shock collars in the UK shows, good welfare is not only the right thing to do, but it could also be good business.
Promoting ethical training
For 200 years, the UK charity the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) has been promoting better and kinder ways of caring for pets and, when necessary, training our furry friends ethically and humanely.
Our campaign against shock collars is a good example of where businesses can make a difference. Depressingly, e-collars are still put on pets to prevent unwanted behavior, in a sad advert for punitive ‘training’. These devices deliver electrical stimuli either on demand by remote control or automatically.
These devices can cause pain and distress, actually worsen underlying behavioral problems and can cause anxiety and aggression, creating new problems where none existed.
Inadequate regulation
But aside from the welfare complications, what statement do these shock collar devices send about how society prioritizes our companion animals? Rather than reward-based, positive training, is it simply okay for owners to knowingly use tools designed to cause pain and fear by electrocuting their pets instead?
In the UK, regulations regarding these devices differ. While e-collars have been illegal in Wales for more than a decade, dog and cat owners are still free to use them in England.
The UK Government has pledged to ban shock collars in England. Last April, the UK’s Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) announced that the Animal Welfare (Electronic Collars) (England) Regulations 2023 would come into force in 2024, consigning the use of electronic shock collars on cats and dogs to history.
Yet, since then, there’s been very little news from the British government, and there’s a growing fear that officials are rowing back on their pledge amid lobbying from commercial interest groups who want the use and sale of such devices to continue unabated.
How the industry can help
In the absence of governmental action, could businesses step in and provide the moral initiative?
In the pet world, customers are deeply invested in the well-being of their family pets. Ethical practices contribute to a positive brand image for B2B organizations and foster customer loyalty. When businesses demonstrate a commitment to ethical standards, customers are more likely to remain loyal, make repeat purchases and advocate for the brand within their network.
RSPCA polling already suggests that 89% of UK adults believe electronic collars are a cruel and outdated method of pet training.
A key differentiator
In a saturated pet industry, ethical behavior can become a key differentiator. Businesses that go above and beyond to act ethically stand out in the market. This differentiation can attract socially conscious clients and partners who actively seek out companies that share their values.
B2B pet businesses should view business ethics and animal welfare not only as a moral obligation but as a strategic investment in their long-term success. In the absence of any government action, we’d like to see all businesses linked to the pet sector no longer stock, promote or sell shock collars.
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