AFTER reading the account of the mauled cat I feel traumatised too. Some people's attitude to their dogs makes my blood boil. I have always owned dogs and cats, and I try very hard to always keep my dog under control, especially near people or other dogs, and I would never, never let them chase cats. The instinct to chase and kill small animals is in all dogs, and I think most of us have forgotten, or ignore that fact.

Also people seem to ignore the basic psychology of dogs by allowing small children to loom over and pat strange dogs. This action is a threat trigger to dogs, and they will often attack thinking they are going to be attacked themselves. It's common sense, but along with ignorance, many dog owners are arrogant enough to think their dog should be allowed to do as it pleases. Some may even take some gruesome pleasure in seeing a cat mauled to death.

It annoys me too, to see dogs off lead near roads ... a frequent site. If asked, they say their dog will stay close to them. It's a dog! If it sees a cat or another dog, or someone it knows on the other side of the road, and takes a notion to run across the road to it, it will, possibly causing a fatal road accident.

One of my 15 year-old cats was taken into the mouth of a large unleashed dog which lived in my road, and the dog ran off with her. Fortunately we got her back and she lived a few more months, but who knows what might have happened?

I have to say that the dog owner was probably as traumatised as we were, and I haven't seen it off the lead since. Also, a schoolfriend of my granddaughter was recently attacked by a large unleashed dog outside the house where it lived. The child was lucky not to be mauled on his face, and I'm glad to say the dog was put to sleep. This child was 10 years old; it would have been a lot worse for a younger child.

Yes, I agree that dog owners do need some sort of education before they own one, and at the first sign of any adverse behaviour, the dog should be removed from their care. I'm 99 per cent sure my own dog would never do anyone or anything harm as she is as soft as they come and lives with cats, but there is always that one per cent to think about. Never take chances with any dog. Please! – Judith Kelman, Tutshill, Chepstow.