I LIVE in the Boughton Park area of St John's and as a dog owner find it highly annoying that I and my dog are having to tiptoe around dog mess whenever we go for a walk.

Some people seem to allow their dog to stop anywhere they like, and of course the dog will then "perform" wherever it feels the need to.

However, It doesn't have to be like this. We have trained our dog to use our garden and invested in a dog loo. This doesn't cost that much and is fairly easy to install.

We take a poop-a-scoop or plastic bags when taking the dog for a walk. When the dog does mess anywhere outside our garden, we take it away and dispose off in our own bin (instead of outside other people's property).

It would be better still if the council could provide adequate bins for the disposal of these bags. There should be stricter controls and certainly fines should be given to any offenders.

When walking the dog during the Christmas period I noticed a sign on a lamp-post in Barn Close from someone wishing dog owners a happy Christmas and at the same time requesting that they do not let their dogs mess outside their house. It made me feel angry because of the actions of irresponsible people we may all be tarred with the same brush.

So come on, dog owners, do the decent thing and take your dogs mess home with you.

MRS V M BAYLIS,

St John's, Worcester