Letter: Breeds are not the problem

I take exception to some of the comments in Nigel Hastilow's article.

Once again the poor old Rottie and the Staffie get it in the neck and are depicted as terrible and vicious breeds of dogs.

As one who has taken in rescue dogs for the past 40 plus years, including Rottweilers, German shepherds, Jack Russell, collies and labs etc, I feel more qualified than Nigel Hastilow with his two fat labradors to voice an opinion on these breeds.

It's the owners, not the dogs, that cause the problems.

As an example, his two fat Labradors didn't get that way because they can open the fridge or the larder and help themselves did they?

I take great exception to his comments that 'the plans are about as likely to succeed as telling a Rottweiler to come to heel'. It's totally ridiculous to isolate one particular breed.

Where I live which is a dog walkers' paradise, we see above-average numbers of dog walkers and dogs and there are numerous breeds that don't come to heel – Poodles, Jack Russells, Spaniels, Labradors – but no one mentions those.

And as for his comment that 'Staffies, Rotties and bull terriers are as dangerous as unexploded bombs', so is any breed of dog that is untrained, not exercised, abused, neglected, ill-treated and made to be vicious. It's the same as saying every car is a weapon, but not every driver makes it so.

There are too many dogs, too easily available to unscrupulous people. There is too much indiscriminate breeding of dogs.

Puppy farms still thrive. Anybody can get their 'family pet' to produce a litter. There is absolutely no restriction and there should be.

Dog breeders should be registered and every single dog which is rehomed by rescue centres, should be neutered.

Rottweilers, Staffies and now the bull terrier are much maligned and it's sad and uncalled for.

My rottie lives alongside two canine (rescue) companions and three cats (one of which is a house cat and totally blind) with frequent visitors being a 95-year-old mum and young grandchildren.

My Rottie is gentle, affectionate and well behaved and when she 'goes' we fully intend to adopt another rottweiler.

It's not the dogs which are the problem, it's the owners!

Christina Birch

Whitchurch

See also:

• Don’t blame the dogs, blame the owners