A protective collar effective as a veterinary restraint when fitted on an animal, the protective collar comprising: a layered assembly comprising: a first sheet comprising a flexible substantially non-resilient material having an inner arcuate edge and an outer arcuate edge extending between a first end and a second end of the first sheet, the inner and outer arcuate edges comprising single circular arcs, wherein the outer arcuate edge has a substantially greater radius than the inner edge; a second sheet comprising a flexible substantially non-resilient material and having a substantially similar shape to that of the first sheet; a flexible resilient padding layer, forming a generally similar shape to the first and second sheets located between said first and second sheets, such that when assembled the first sheet and the second sheet and the padding layer form the layered assembly having an outer arcuate edge and an inner arcuate edge and a first end and a second end; the first sheet and the second sheet and the padding layer between them being formed into the assembly by securing together the outer arcuate edges and the inner arcuate edges and the first and second ends of the first and second sheets; a closure (34, 36, 38, 40), effective to secure the first and second ends of the protective collar, such that when the first and second ends of the protective collar are secured, a closed configuration is formed having an inner opening and an outer opening, the inner opening being substantially smaller than the outer opening, wherein the outer opening is configured to encompass the wearer's head and the inner opening is configured to encompass a wearer's neck but not the head; wherein the protective collar is sized and shaped to encompass both the wearer's head and neck on different parts of the restraint; characterized in that the protective collar comprises: at least one stay connected to one of the sheets (10, 20), for preventing the sheet from folding, the stay being effective to stiffen the overall shape of the collar; a plurality of channels each containing a stay, the channels at least partially extending between the inner arcuate edge and the outer arcuate edge of the layered assembly. a first sheet comprising a flexible substantially non-resilient material having an inner arcuate edge and an outer arcuate edge extending between a first end and a second end of the first sheet, the inner and outer arcuate edges comprising single circular arcs, wherein the outer arcuate edge has a substantially greater radius than the inner edge; a second sheet comprising a flexible substantially non-resilient material and having a substantially similar shape to that of the first sheet; a flexible resilient padding layer, forming a generally similar shape to the first and second sheets located between said first and second sheets, such that when assembled the first sheet and the second sheet and the padding layer form the layered assembly having an outer arcuate edge and an inner arcuate edge and a first end and a second end; the first sheet and the second sheet and the padding layer between them being formed into the assembly by securing together the outer arcuate edges and the inner arcuate edges and the first and second ends of the first and second sheets; a closure (34, 36, 38, 40), effective to secure the first and second ends of the protective collar, such that when the first and second ends of the protective collar are secured, a closed configuration is formed having an inner opening and an outer opening, the inner opening being substantially smaller than the outer opening, wherein the outer opening is configured to encompass the wearer's head and the inner opening is configured to encompass a wearer's neck but not the head; wherein the protective collar is sized and shaped to encompass both the wearer's head and neck on different parts of the restraint; characterized in that the protective collar comprises: at least one stay connected to one of the sheets (10, 20), for preventing the sheet from folding, the stay being effective to stiffen the overall shape of the collar; a plurality of channels each containing a stay, the channels at least partially extending between the inner arcuate edge and the outer arcuate edge of the layered assembly. at least one stay connected to one of the sheets (10, 20), for preventing the sheet from folding, the stay being effective to stiffen the overall shape of the collar; a plurality of channels each containing a stay, the channels at least partially extending between the inner arcuate edge and the outer arcuate edge of the layered assembly.