PRAISING buses and dogs. Regarding the two recent letters by Mr Tipton of Canford Cliffs, who in my opinion is a welcome addition to your letters page, however controversial his views might be.

He seems to have just exploded on the scene, not caring who he might upset. Whatever happened to such stalwarts as Jeff Williams (Jubilee Road), Robert Readman, Phil Eades, Peter Adams (Poole Borough Council)?

With regard to his comments on bus passengers as the ‘Great Unwashed’ and mums with pushchairs.

I find his comments quite insulting and am very surprised that comments have not been made by the Marketing Managers of our local bus companies or even writs issued!

Presumably he is only too willing to use the services provided by the people he is so disparaging about or has no qualms regarding the kids in buggies at a future date paying his pension.

I would like to have seen him in the “Workers Specials” of yesteryear amidst the smell of Woodbines and engineering metal coolant.

I have no problem with the buses, I gave up cars years ago and in my post retirement job as a freelance IT Support Consultant, I use them to visit clients carrying the tools of my trade with me, arriving fresh and stress free. A shirt will last me two days.

He seems to have created controversy with a cats versus dogs debate.

Dogs along with horses and pollinators such as bees are mankind’s best friends and are part of the family in lots of cases. Witness “The Famous Five”.

It must be said that for certain breeds like Staffies or Rotties, it should be compulsory for would be owners to undergo police and physchological checks and pay for a licence.

Dogs are a loving source of companionship to lots of elderly people and I can never suppress a smile when I see their owners like newly delivered mums with their Yorkies and Scotties on the bus.

Cats on the other hand are feral and natural born killers, decimating garden song birds, lizards etc and their owners responsibility ends when they let them out to go where they want and do what they want.

It would be interesting to know what a cat owner’s reaction would be if their neighbour’s Labrador jumped over their garden fence and spent all day sunning itself in their garden, digging up their flower beds etc.

Concluding, there are no prizes for guessing my favourite dog, given my idyllic Snowdonia childhood.

W G HUGHES, Yarmouth Road, Poole