IN response to Mr Pearce's letter in last week's Times.

I have always been a responsible dog owner. If, whilst walking in the countryside she relieves herself I pick it up and bring it home and dispose of it down the toilet.

Sometimes, after a walk round Boar Hill, I walk round the edge of the football field so that we can get home quickly. I would never let my dog use these grounds as a toilet.

In the street it is annoying to see fresh deposits all trodden around Okehampton and in our lovely Simmons Park, especially when there are bins provided.

It is a shame that the council can't afford to have the dog warden patrolling early morning dog walkers and enforcing more fines.

I believe that the dog warden has a large area to patrol and it is impossible to catch all these lazy dog owners.

Mr Pearce of Okehampton Argyle Youth Team, wouldn't have to walk the pitch if dog walkers who knowingly let their dogs poop on the field were more responsible and changed their habits or their route.

Anyone reading this knows if they are guilty of allowing their dog to foul public paths, playing fields etc. Why not take a plastic bag so children don't tread in what your dog has left behind and take it home on their shoes.

Mrs Sharpe

Station Road

Okehampton

FOLLOWING the letter (October 12) from the chairman of the football club youth teams about dog fouling on the football pitches I would like to respond by saying that if you are not a car owner places to walk dogs are very limited. I'm sure that any respectable dog owners would pick up any mess and place it in the bins provided.

This brings me on to my main point, last Saturday afternoon a game of football was being played at the pitch. Unfortunately, even though a sign is clearly displayed at the bowling club, there must have been a dozen cars surrounding the entrance to the swimming pool (other than staff cars).

I coach swimming to a young lad who needs access to the pool via the driveway. If this was to be on Saturday afternoon there wouldn't have been any chance of this.

Bearing in mind that injuries to players may need emergency treatment by an ambulance crew goodness knows how they would have got there. The pool staff can lock the gate at the park entrance, but this again can impede access to the people who really need to use it.

So can you, as chairman, tell players to walk up to the pitch? Thank you.

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