I HAD to reply to the article on the front of the Midweek GUARDIAN about the rottweiler biting the little seven-year-old Farrah Muckley. I understand the mother's anger, but I disagree with her asking for the dog to be put down, and I cannot believe that the owners are considering it. I fully believe the incident was as a result of an unfortunate accident that was initiated by the young girl.

Children are naturally inquisitive, playful and forever exploring where they shouldn't. Climbing into a six-foot dog compound supports this.

As the police stated, appropriate measures had been taken, so it was natural for the dog to defend itself. It had no idea what the girl was going to do once she was in the pen. I would understand the mother's request if the dog had chased the girl up the street.

It seems all too easy for people to ask for dogs to be put down, but she should go and meet the dog and would probably reconsider.

I have to stress that I neither know any of the parties concerned nor am I any sort of mad animal rights activist. I'm simply a businessman who was moved enough by your article to write and voice my concern and annoyance.

I can empathise with BOTH parties because when I was 10 years old I was attacked by a dog in similar circumstances - it bit my face and into my eyes, I had a long operation at Alder Hey Hospital and nearly lost an eye.

When I finally returned home with a scarred face and an eye full of stitches my parents asked me if I wanted the particular dog putting down. At first I started laughing at them thinking it was some sort of joke, then when I realised they were serious I started crying because I knew even though I had only been playing with the dog, in my eyes I had provoked it into defending itself and now because of me I had the dog's life in my hands. I refused to have the dog put down. It hadn't done anything wrong.

I urge/beg you to tell the owners to keep the dog.

I mentioned that I empathised with both parties: the dog that bit me was my dog, Shandy and since the day he bit me he never bit another person as long as he lived, and that was for another 14 years. He was before and after a harmless, loving Border Collie and I treasured him.

ALEX APPLETON

St Helens

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