THANKS to D Turner (Letters, March 14) for his ideas regarding fines for dog fouling. We do take a tough stance on this issue and owners can be fined £50 on the spot if they do not clear up after their dog. There is a maximum penalty of up to £1,000 if the case goes to court.

However, our aim is not to make money from dog owners or target them unfairly; instead we use enforcement to educate and deter. Any system where fines are handed out on a commission basis would certainly be open to criticism and possibly even legal challenge.

As ever, we would encourage residents to let us know if they have any ideas about how best to tackle dog fouling in our communities.

Cathy Aubertin

Street scene manager

West Devon Borough Council