A new study raises concern about the environmental impact of dogs. But it will not change our minds, says Mark Smith

A dog and a cat are talking to each other. The dog says to the cat: “my owner loves me because I’m loyal, loving and intelligent.” The cat says: “you poor pathetic dog, animals can’t talk which means this conversation can’t be happening. I’m off to torture and kill something now, goodbye.”

You get where I’m going with this: there’s a popular idea that dogs are cuddly and lovely and cats and aloof and deadly, but like most popular ideas, there’s lots wrong with it. If you happen to belong to the cat-hating group, I recommend the splendid book by the biologist John Bradshaw, Cat Sense, which puts the myths into perspective (for example, cats kill far fewer birds than you think). Same for dogs: the idea that they’re all just big loveable furry cushions is contradicted by the statistics on dog attacks: there are tens of thousands of attacks every year and they’re on the rise.

Those of us who live with animals – and I’ve lived with dogs and cats my whole life – should also accept not everyone thinks like us. I have a new puppy; she’s a cross between a spaniel and a labrador, a spanador, although there’s no such thing, she’s a mongrel, she’s called Mona and I love her. But a few times in the park she’s jumped up on people who don’t like dogs and while part of me is irritated by their self-righteous attitudes and cheers the big muddy paws on their nice clean trousers, we must try and get along. Mona loves everyone but not everyone loves her.

You may have noticed as well that a new front in the criticism of dogs has opened up: the little darlings are bad for the planet. This has been........

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