Stop your dogs messing our parks

Some would say I write a lot of crap on this blog. Some may be right.

However today, instead of writing crap I'd like to write about it, namely dog mess.

A while back I wrote about spitting in the street in comparison to allowing dogs to foul the pavement and since then I have started to pay a lot more attention to both in my daily life.

Usually I trundle along in my Apple sponsored bubble listening to loud 90s music or surfing the net trying to build the family tree yet some how manage to get home on autopilot. I'd only ever notice befoulment if I skidded in it and after cursing loudly go looking for a puddle or patch of grass.

It does seem to be fairly common on the streets of Medway, not as much as it was when I was a child but still too much.

This Sunday I went to Gillingham park with my family and was horrified when a little dog scurried past is and proceeded to relieve itself all of a metre from where we were having a picnic by the railings next to the play area!

I looked around for the owner who had conveniently turned their back having seen what was happening.

if I can't see it, it isn't happening

I looked around the park and just beyond the tea & ice-cream van was a red bin. So what was the excuse?

Anyone who has toddlers knows that no matter how much you watch them there will come a moment where you have to take your eye off them and in that split second they can move with exceptional speed. Usually into what they are not meant to!

I have no wish for Ollie or Sophie to play in crap and I'm sure you wouldn't want your children either. It is the most unsanitary thing and can cause blindness or worse.

The same is true for those parents who sit on the benches in the play area smoking, even though the sign asks you not to, and F-ing and blinding. I totally respect your freedom of speech but I don't want my two year old absorbing that language, also I want her little lungs to stay as clean as possible.

So, what are the solutions?

Well, unfortunately there are none. The only people to blame are those being inconsiderate and ask them to take responsibility for their actions. You could station a Community support officer at each park or every corner dictating the law but that is problematic.

We're all adults and part of a community. You wouldn't like it if I came and left a big pile of poo in your garden so why let your dog do it?