The Department of Environmental Protection will not back down on enforcement even after a dog warden's car was torched yesterday.

"It has not deterred me from doing my job," Government dog warden Fabian Minors told yesterday as he gazed at the blackened interior of his car. "Not at all."

Police believe the car, parked in front of the Department of Environmental Protection's Botanical Gardens location, was set alight sometime on Thursday night or early Friday morning. understands it may have burned itself out. The charred remains were discovered yesterday afternoon.

The fire burned through both the front driver's seat and the rear left seat, scorching the other seats and leaving the windows and sides of the interior blackened. "They're not tinted," Mr. Minors said, looking at the black windows.

Department head Tom Sleeter confirmed members of the Department have received threats in the past, even before the controversial dog breed ban was put into place last year. "We've probably had three incidents of violent behaviour in the Department in the last couple of months," he said. "In the hallway, upstairs, in the office itself ? threatening behaviour and threatening words.

"But we continue to get a lot of support for the banned dog breeds from the silent majority. Whenever it comes up, people say we are doing the right thing. They are in support of a ban on dangerous dogs."

Dr. Sleeter, along with Mr. Minors, confirmed the dog wardens did confiscate several pitbull puppies earlier this week. "Persons, for various offences under the Dogs Act, will be prosecuted," Mr. Minors said.

"As Fabian said, it has strengthened our resolve," Dr. Sleeter added.

"It is not going to make us back down."