I WOULD like to reply to the letter penned by William Tipton (July 11). He obviously has had limited, if any at all, experience of dogs.

What a ridiculous thing to say that dogs shouldn’t be kept in an urban environment. He has a narrow view of animals in totality it would seem.

He rightly says that a cat can give comfort to the elderly and bury their own doings as he puts it but ask many gardeners who have had their prize veggies or flowers uprooted by a cat in the process of so doing.

A dog, on the other hand, is just as good a companion and when they do their business, if the owner is responsible they will remove the offending “package”.

I will agree that certain breeds of dog can be dangerous but again, this is usually down to the dog’s owner.

As for cats catching vermin, Mr Tipton has obviously not seen a Jack Russell at work catching rats. They are swift, catching their prey and dispatching it with a single shake of the head.

A cat however will toy with its prey, prolonging its terror and agony. A dog is a loyal and faithful friend, in many cases prepared to give its life for its owner.

Cats, on the other hand, are aloof, independent and only concerned with “number one”. You don’t ever see rescue cats at earthquake sites or a cat leading a blind person down the street, do you?

TERRY NEAL, The Broadway, Northbourne, Bournemouth