RSPCA attacks dyed-dog craze

THE FOOTPATHS of suburbiaare being graced with an increasing number of barking, hairy creatures in hues from magenta to purple. Yes, dog dyeing is in vogue.

Carole Flatt, one of the country's leading exponents of the art, said she is not sure what's behind the craze, but it may have its origins in Manhattan, where in November Vanity Fair magazine published a picture of Monica Lewinsky holding a pink poodle. But not every owner can bring a dog in to her grooming salon and expect it to emerge, pounds 55 later, in crimson. "The dog has to be of an extrovert temperament," she said.

The RSPCA is unamused by the trend. A spokeswomansaid: "It encourages people to view animals as fashion accessories and not respect them as pets. Dogs are there to be valued, not made fun of."