I READ with interest details of Government proposals to force third-party insurance upon dog owners, against the dreadful day that their dog attacks and injures a member of the public.

As a former serving police officer, I had some contact with the dangerous dogs issue, and know only too well that some animals are kept as attack dogs, or are bred for fighting.

Encountering these dogs can be traumatic to say the least, but it's true that even some of these animals will lick you to death on first contact but, sinisterly, will attack on command, if the miscreant uses a trigger word in the animal's presence.

I have even encountered fighting dogs bred for the purpose, kept in captivity, fed on muscle building supplements and exercised on mechanical tread mills.

There are often huge amounts of money involved, changing hands at fight venues where the dogs can sustain horrendous injuries.

It isn't unusual for organised crime to be participant in such matters — ask the RSPCA's investigations unit.

If you live on an estate where such animals exist, you may agree that greater control is needed, but often, even when such animals are seized, it can be hard to secure a conviction.

Experts will argue, for instance, on what constitutes a pit bull, and the ownership of the dog can be disputed where it has been involved in crime.

What I ask regarding all of this is what effect is forcing ordinary people, with a much-loved family pet, having to pay a figure of £600 a year, according to one article, going to have on criminal activity?

I suspect that the answer to that is little or nothing. It will amount to another nice little earner for someone.

The criminal and irresponsible simply won't pay it, while ordinary families will be forced to find even more money or heartbreakingly have to part with the family pet. Animal shelters will be overrun with stray and unwanted animals, some of which will be taken for a ride in a car and dumped.

Criminal and irresponsible dog ownership ought to be dealt with, but asking a family for £600 a year to insure the dog, is utter nonsense and a crime in itself.

Roy Grove

Cornmill Crescent, Exeter