Bone to pick

May I put Mr Clark Cross’s mind at rest (Letters, 9 November): my housing association door (I am not yet reduced to living in a kennel) was not in the slightest rattled by his correspondence.

If anything, judging by his most recent, rather petulant, letter, he is more rattled than I was. Subtlety, it seems, is not his forté.

I was merely attempting to point out that generalisation is unfair both as regards disliking dogs and tarring all social housing tenants with the same brush. Placing a blanket ban would mean the majority of responsible social housing tenants would have to put their companion animals down.

It is not only social housing tenants who are irresponsible dog owners.

If Mr Cross had stopped to think, he would realise I only raised the points where I took issue with him.

Of course, I support the Dangerous Dogs Act and am against aggressive dogs being used as macho accessories but he is wrong to say I deliberately ignored this. One child killed by a dog is one too many.

It was in this regard I pointed out that when getting a puppy I have always gone to a reputable breeder with safe bloodlines. I have always found that responsible breeders ask as many questions of me as I do of them.

Mr Cross may now remove his tongue from his cheek when I assure him that at my advanced age I am no “paragon of virtue”. Finally, having disagreed with Mr Cross, may I say that I agree wholeheartedly with Mr Guy Chappell’s letter (same day) regarding children’s relationships with dogs.

John Murdoch

Aldour Gardens

Pitlochry