A COUNCIL officer is teaching children how to look after dogs after it emerged hundreds of strays were picked up in one area of north Durham last year.

The dogs were all picked up in the Derwentside District Council area from April 1999 to April this year and many had to be destroyed because their owners could not be located.

That's one reason why the dog control officer Lyn Copeland is touring primary schools to teach children to look after their pets.

She talked with six to seven-year-olds at Bloemfontein Primary school and brought a puppy who is to be trained as a guide dog. She also brought a 'pat' dog provided by the PAT charity who take dogs into hospitals and old peoples' homes to provide companionship.

Teacher Christina Winter explained the demonstration was partly to teach the children to look after dogs but also to teach them about the animals themselves.

She said: "She talked about all sorts of things and had a slide show. The children asked a lot of questions and seemed very interested. They also got to stroke the dog which they very much enjoyed."

Lyn Copeland has been attending the school every week to teach in each class at in turn.