General Chat

Can I just say that I am one these 'older' people you are going on about with a dog. I ALWAYS pick up after my dog, who is now 13 years old. What I have found is that it is the men who cannot bear to pick up after their dogs. Have just watched one on the park this afternoon. He was riding his bike and the dog was running alongside, that is until he wanted to do a pooh. Guess what - he kept on cycling and when the dog had finished, he followed. I don't blame the dogs I blame the iiresponsible dog owners, whether they are young, old, male or female. What is needed is for the councils to put more dog bins in public places as well as the owners taking their own dogs pooh home with them! Margaret

It's just typical of this country. What is wrong is that councils will spend a fortune putting up signs (clean it up zone or whatever) but do nothing to enforce the rule. Ring your council up and ask them how many people were prosecuted in the last year, I bet you won't get an answer. It's a bit like the mobile phone while driving thing. Now how many of you are still doing that? (answer honestly!!) Bob

This really makes me mad. I'm fed up with treading in it and bringing it home with me after I've been in the local park with my dog. I wish they would prosecute these offenders as they have absolutly no respect for any one but themselves. Also it gives dog owners like me, a bad name.

I can see this from all sides. I have a dog (and yes I clear up after it so why should I not be allowed to let it roam wherever I like ?). I have a child, so am conscious of how few people are as conscientious. I'm also involved in running a local football team, so have spent lots of time with a shovel clearing the pitch. If people were more conscientious then there'd be no problem - and yes, I totally agree that it's the older people that are the worst culprits in my experience. And lets not forget cat owners - my garden used to the the toilet for all the local cats - until we got a dog that is :)

hi everyone i always clear up after my dog, bag is always in my pocket even if shes been in the garden before a walk, you never know, and my kids do when they take her out. just down the road from me is a large field just for dogs, which i think is a good idea, we have lakes at the bottom of the rd and 2 miles away a big country park, if i see anyone not clearing up after theres i go up and give them a bag, shame them, never had one be rude to me yet. sandra

Judith - was just going to say exactly the same -

We have a lovely large playing field/football field opposite where I live with a large notice "no dogs". Last summer I was sitting on my balcony and two small boys came along and kept kicking a ball against the wall, very annoying, but I kept quiet! From experience, I know that children get bored after a while. Then one said to me "Mrs" do you mind us playing here? I said no, but why don't you play on the field opposite. One said because of the dog poop. Understandable. These people take their dogs out late in the evening and think that nobody can see them. I wrote to the council and they said they would get somebody to keep an eye on things. I cannot see anybody from the council coming round here at 12 o'clock at night! We have a special field, in fact more than one, where they can let their dogs out, why do they do this? Haven't they got children, or had children?