ANIMAL OFFICIALS ARE THE ONES IN NEED OF TRAINING.

Byline: Lois Newman

WITHIN the last three weeks on an almost daily basis the Daily News has had a front-page article on dogs, in particular pit bulls. The amount of misinformation by supposed experts on this subject has been absolutely appalling.

First, the pit bull is recognized as a breed (two actually) by the American Kennel Club. The terms they use are American pit bull terrier (a short dog) and American Staffordshire terrier (a taller, leggier version). These dogs have been bred in the United States since about 1890.

They are not an ``underground breed,'' as claimed by Animal Regulation Commissioner Gini Barrett. Both these dogs are advertised by breeders in the two largest dog magazines in this country, Dog Fancy and Dog World, each month. Commissioner Barrett should know better.

Additionally, the United Kennel Club, the other large-breed registration organization in this country, does recognize the breed as pit bulls. Additionally, the AKC does not license breeders; they register dogs as being pure breeds according to their blood lines. A person breeding purebreds does not have to be a professional breeder to register with the AKC or United Kennel Club.

Lt. Richard Felosky, a senior animal control officer, is totally wrong in his assessment of these dogs. Felosky has no outside training in recognizing these dogs or how to temperament-test them. The animal control officers in the Department of Animal Regulation are not trained about dog characteristics or how to temperament-test them. It is because of the hysteria caused by the Animal Regulation Commission, whose spokesperson seems to be Barrett, and animal control officers such as Felosky, that there will be a blood bath of killing of innocent animals by the city's animal shelters. It seems the only action they do well is killing.

The parents of the tragically killed 14-month-old little boy should be prosecuted. How dare they leave a child that age alone with any dog and that includes a five-pound Yorkshire terrier. The Department of Animal Regulation is to blame for the little boy's death also. They will not hand owners giving up their animals a form to fill out telling about the characteristics of the animal. This takes no more time on the clerk's part and a copy of the form could be attached to the cage card. It is possible that the American pit bull terrier in question did not like to have its head touched.

It is simply outrageous that the second dog, which had done nothing, was killed for no reason. What do we teach our children when we wantonly kill animals because we won't deal with them and this is the way to get rid of them?

I had an American Staffordshire terrier adopted out of the Ann Street shelter shortly before it closed. I hope I am a responsible dog owner. Annie was spayed at five months. Her breed is an intelligent, smart, strong animal, and I gently let her know the rules. All her life, the two worst things I could do to her was shake (not hit) my finger at her and yell ``bad dog'' (she'd go under the bed then) or ignore her for four or so hours and not pet or hug her. Staffordshire terriers and pit bulls are loving, kissy dogs and are hurt if not given enough attention.

Annie liked other dogs and when at the vet's she would sit quietly, smile at them and almost say, Let's play

After my older cats got used to her (they'd never lived with a dog before) some would even sleep with her, using her stomach as a pillow. She was the consummate companion. It was a sad, unhappy and difficult day when her veterinarian and I put her to sleep because of a serious, incurable disease. We knew it was time. Because of an American Staffordshire terrier, I learned what a wonderful creature a dog is.

Until the mayor of Los Angeles learns that killing is no solution to anything; until the mayor appoints an Animal Regulation Commission not made up of political cronies and instead appoints knowledgeable, caring persons to the commission; until the Department of Animal Regulation has officers who have been given 100 hours outside training on animal control and animal behavior; and until the Department of Animal Regulation aggressively recruits humane volunteers and allows them to become adoption counselors and not interfere with them, we, the taxpayers, are going to have to continue to fund more than $4 million a year for the killing of animals by the city, and our animal ``shelters'' will remain sad, unhappy houses of killing and places that the public has no confidence in and does not want to go near.