I AM getting more and more concerned about the future of animals in this area.

In my opinion a lot of people lack the proper respect for animals, most of them due to ignorance.

Stories about dog attacks are being blown out of all proportion, which only serves to greatly increase people's wariness of these animals.

Organisations like the RSPCA make the matter worse by destroying healthy animals, many without a good reason.

And then, of course, there are the so-called "do-gooders" who do not know the first thing about animals but feel they have to interfere anyway.

A woman once followed our cat home through all the gardens, along two streets, because it was catching sparrows in her garden.

She even brought a collar with a bell - which not only (as studies have shown) makes no difference to the number of birds caught but causes many cats' deaths.

Another person reported me to the RSPCA for "beating and kicking" my dog, when I was training it the way every dog class teaches you that dogs should be trained - which certainly does not involve any physical abuse.

I understand that not everybody is animal-minded, but perhaps some more education would considerably reduce the number of such unfortunate incidents.

JACKIE PREUSS

Orchard Rise

Bewdley