The ban on dangerous breeds of dogs will continue, despite animal campaigners urging a licence-fee boycott in protest.

Environmental Protection Director Dr. Tom Sleeter said the ban was working, had the support of the public and had resulted in fewer attacks.

Recently, dog lover Jack Castle urged owners to withhold paying the licence fee after saying the ban was too severe.

Annual fees are $63 per animal while licences for those which have been spayed or neutered are only $23.

However Dr. Sleeter said he was not concerned about the licence boycott.

"The ban will continue. They were under the mistaken idea it was temporary and that it had gone on long enough.

"But it is still in place and there seems to be fewer illegal puppies and fewer complaints. It seems to be working.

"The aim was to prohibit dangerous dogs and dangerous dogs breeding. I think there has been a decrease in attacks."

He said the silent majority were behind the ban which operated in many countries around the world.

At the beginning, the policy had attracted complaints but these had dried up said Dr. Sleeter, who noted the ban had been brought in by previous Environment Minister Dennis Lister and continued under new minister Neletha Butterfield following a review.

Dr. Sleeter said there had been a meeting with dog clubs and breeders and more stringent requirements for breeders had been suggested.

He said Government had then asked what would be appropriate and had only just heard back.

"Jack Castle was in that meeting, but all of a sudden he says there has not been any action... we just received the suggestions last week."

He said a large number of previously banned dogs had been removed from that list following consultation.

"They included friendly Burmese mountain dogs. The list was too broad."

The current list includes 23 breeds including the American Bulldog, the American Pitbull terrier, the Rottweiler and the Cane Corsso.

Some dog lovers are still not happy, however.

One wrote to The Royal Gazette to say: "Personally, I feel that breed-specific banning is the 'Hilterisation' of the dog population.

"Especially in such a small community as Bermuda, this type of ban along with breeding regulations will indeed have a long term affect on the population of both humans and dogs here that would not be advantageous to either."