THIRTY-three years ago a 65lb Pit Bull terrier savaged six-year-old Ruksana Khan while she was playing out near a school just off Lumb Lane, Manningham.

Four men spent 15 minutes trying to force the dog to let the little girl go. The owner of the dog ran away. Eventually the dog let go and Ruksana was taken to hospital. As a result of that Parliament brought in the Dangerous Dogs Act which led to the banning in the UK of four breeds of dog: the Pit Bull terrier, the Japanese Tosa, the Doggo Argentino and the Fila Brasiiero.

In spite of that, and in spite of four subsequent dog control orders issued by Bradford Council between 2011 and 2013 - including the rule that dogs must be kept on leads in 72 local authority parks, bowling greens and cemeteries - we are still talking about the problem of stray dogs.

Terry Singh, for many years the man in charge of Bradford Council's Dog warden Service, is now the general manager of the RSPCA's Mount Street HQ in Bradford. He estimated that the Bradford Metropolitan District had up to 50,000 dogs.

How many of them are not properly trained or looked after? T&A reader Suzanne Kirk posed another question in a letter published in the paper yesterday: is the real problem the people who don't look after dogs properly so that they become a danger to the public?

Dog owners don't have to be licensed, but from 2016 the law will make mandatory the micro-chipping of dogs, so that their owners may be tracked down if the need arises.

The RSPCA do micro-chipping, as do vets and charities such as the Dogs Trust. On Wednesday, October 22, the Dogs Trust in partnership with Bradford Council is offering free micro-chipping and a basic health check between 10.30am and 2.30pm at Silsden Town hall.

The basic health check is for ears, eyes, teeth, coat condition and general fitness only. As this is a basic health check, no veterinary treatment will be available. Owners of dogs requiring treatment for any problems found will be advised to visit a veterinary surgery.

The Dogs Trust anticipates between 50 to 100 dogs, judging by previous events, and say that all dogs who attend will be chipped.

But to return to the question posed by Suzanne Kirk, are dogs born dangerous or are they made that way by the people who keep them? If the character of a dog reflects the character of its owner, which dog do you belong to?

On the Pet4Homes website the Fila Brasilero has an ancestry which includes the English Mastiff and Bloodhound. "However, the breed is also renowned for its short temper and aggressive nature, and attempts to socialise and train puppies of the breed to a calmer attitude are only partially successful, hence the dog's inclusion on the banned list."

There is something about that kind of dog that makes it volatile. But, as we know, dogs can be trained to be aggressive and it is the management of these dogs that is at issue.

Stray dogs are an occasional threat or nuisance; but there was a time when they were a more commonplace problem. For example, in 1987 dog warden Terry Singh took into custody 5,616 stray dogs. He puts the figure down to irresponsible ownership.

Compare that with the 12,348 stray dogs picked up by local authorities in Yorkshire last year, or the 9,612 strays picked up so far this year. Clearly something is very wrong in the treatment and care of man's best friend.

Terry Singh believes that dog owners need as much training as their pets. He said: "You should never buy a puppy unless you see its parents. You need to know the temperament of a dog, particularly if it is going to be around young children.

"But before that you should do research on a dog - is it the right kind for the environment you have? - and local dog training clubs. We used to go into schools and give talks about dog ownership, but that has stopped now."

Bradford Council used to have six dog wardens and ran a 24-hour service, at a cost of more than £200,000. Now there is a number the public can ring Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm and another general purposes number for evenings and weekends.

Only the council's Dog Warden Service can deal with stray dogs. The RSPCA will refer people to this service, as will the police - except in cases where a dog has attacked and bitten somebody.

Bradford Council's Dog Warden Service can be reached between 9am and 5pm on 01274-433927. The out of hours number for evening and weekend calls is 01274-431000.