The Editor, Sir:

Dr St Aubynn Bartlett chose the 2008/2009 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives as an opportunity to misrepresent himself and the great breed that is the pit bull terrier.

He chose this medium to use his status as a veterinarian and presumed authority on all animals to launch an attack on a breed of dog he is clearly deeply ignorant about.

Dr Bartlett used this gathering of other presumed great and influential minds to 'educate' those present with nonsense about the pit bull terrier having a higher propensity than most breeds of dog to attack small children and give the impression that the breed is inherently vicious by nature.

Temperament testing

The American Temperament Tests Society (www.atts.org) ranks the American pit bull terrier at 84.3 per cent and 84.3 per cent, respectively, in terms of percentage passes relating to their extensive temperament testing.

This is higher than German shepherds (83.5 per cent), Rottweilers (82.6 per cent), Doberman pinschers and toy poodles (81.6 per cent).

Contrary to the beliefs of Dr Bartlett and the others on the Jamaica Veterinary Medical Association, the pit bull terrier in its development hundreds of years ago between Britain and the Unites States was bred to never bite a human being. In the morally reprehensible 'sport' of dog fighting, a man-biter was immediately culled and hence removed from the gene pool. Hip-hop videos and images of snarling pit bull-type dogs as well as well publicised incidents of misidentified dogs mauling children and adults have given the breed an unfortunate bad reputation and demonised the name 'pit bull' almost irreparably.

Fortunately true, dog enthusiasts such as myself exist to debunk the foolishness and demonstrate that the issue is not with the dogs but with the irresponsible owners who have them.

'Bad dog' the only solution

People are afraid and cannot easily acquire firearms to protect themselves, their family and their property and a 'bad dog' is the only reasonp pit bull is what drew many to them in the firstplace.

Surprisingly, most now realise that the pit bull generally speaking, does not cut it as a guard dog as they are too small and are for the most part, too friendly and not sufficiently suspicious of strangers. Many pit bull owners in fact have to get a Rottweiler, German shepherd or other traditiop pit bulls from being stolen.

I am, etc.,

DORIAN GREY

dorian@jamdownpits.cjb.net

extensive temperament testing