Letter: Pit-bull penalty

Sir: Your article today 'Tighter laws fail to curb attacks by pit-bull terriers' and the accompanying leading article prompt me to give you an example of how the current law on dangerous dogs is being arbitrarily and unfairly enforced.

In December 1991 my dog - a pit-bull terrier - was taken from my car after I had been pulled over by the police on a motorway. The reason given was that the dog was in a public place, not wearing a muzzle and not on a lead: the public place being my car, which I, for one, consider to be a private place. I had the lead and muzzle in my car at the time.

On 29 July I was found guilty of this charge, and my dog is to be destroyed. During all the time the police have had my dog, I have not been given access to it, and I do not know where and how it is kept.

My dog is a family pet and I feel very bitter over this. Could you drive on your own holding a dog's leash at all times? I think not. The law needs to be changed.

Yours faithfully,

H. T. BATES

London, E5

7 August