Pit bulls bred for dog-fighting change hands for as much as $1,000 each, a Shadow Minister claimed yesterday.

Shadow Environment Minister Gary Pitman said: "There are five illegal litters a week and 12 to 13-year-olds are breeding pit bulls.

"It costs $1,000 for a dog for illegal fighting. These dogs are disposable -- they're killed and replaced.'' And he said even Government's kennels were raided by thieves hunting dogs for fighting.

The shock claim came as MPs passed tougher rules on controlling dogs in the House of Assembly yesterday.

Mr. Pitman said it was estimated there were between 600 and 800 unregistered pit bulls at large in Bermuda.

He added: "There are two dog wardens and only 12 spaces in Government kennels. The kennels get broken into and dogs are stolen.'' Mr. Pitman said: "We're extremely concerned in the United Bermuda Party about the enforcement issue. The legislation looks good, but enforcement is a major problem.'' Introducing the legislation, Environment Minister Arthur Hodgson said there were 19 dog attacks on people last year, compared to 14 in 1997, while attacks on animals had shown a 69 percent increase.

He added that complaints about dogs had rocketed by 25 percent in recent years, with more than 960 separate grievances being logged in 1999 alone.

And Mr. Hodgson added that 414 dogs were seized last year, compared to 249 in 1997.

But Mr. Hodgson said the new regulations would clamp down on bad owners and make dogs easier to identify.

He added: "The new system will issue each dog, from the age of one month, with its own unique identification number. At present, it's the owner of the dog who is licensed, not the dog.'' Mr. Hodgson said one letter from a jogger who uses South Shore beaches for runs complained about dogs running wild and fouling footpaths.

He added: "It's illegal to have a dog in a park which is not on a leash and beaches are part of the parks system.'' The new law, still to be passed by Senate, makes it an offence to have an unleashed dog in any public area -- the law previously only demanded leashes in paved areas.

And fines for offences under the amendment to the Dogs Act will rocket from $5,000 to $10,000, with the option of up to six months in jail for offenders.

Dog laws to get more bite The courts will also be able to award up to $10,000 in compensation to dog victims, more than treble the current $3,000.

Dogs will also have to be licensed at a month old, instead of at four months, and transfers of ownership will have to be reported to the Director of Agriculture and Fisheries, who will take over licensing from the Post Office.

And dog breeders will now be licensed for single breedings -- not the current annual certificate -- and new powers to professional breeding licences will be introduced.

Mr. Pitman, however, said the law should go a step further and introduce compulsory micro-chip identification for dogs, similar to schemes already used in the UK and Europe.

And he criticised Government for failing to consult enough with vets, the SPCA and dog owners' societies before amending the laws.

PLP backbencher Dale Butler said: "I'm embarrassed at the way we treat animals in this Country...now we have moved from having dogs for protection of one's house and one's family to dogs as weapons.

"With all of this illegal breeding in Bermuda, and using them in dog fights, these numbers have increased.''