SPCA opposes the use of live animals to train other animals where there are negative welfare impacts on the training animal.

SPCA is concerned with the use of live animals to train other animals for rodeo and cutting horses, and pointing dogs, gun dogs, hunting dogs, sheep dogs, and conservation dogs (e.g., dizzying pigeons, bird flushing).

SPCA advocates that only animals that are desensitised to the activity should be used for training other animals.

Animals used to train other animals should be provided rest periods between training events or trials. Animals that demonstrate signs of stress and distress must be removed from the training activities.

Birds may be used as a stimulus to observe the reactivity of dogs in the presence of a moving bird or the smell of a bird. In all cases where birds are used for training dogs, dogs should be on a tether short enough to prevent interaction with the bird.