As a local Councillor covering Crofton Park and Honor Oak Park a regular complaint from residents is that a minority of dog owners do not act responsibly when it comes to their dog and the mess they leave on streets or in open spaces.

Not only is dogs mess unpleasant it is also a serious health hazard that carries potential diseases for both humans and other dogs.

Toxocara T Canis is a serious infection which can potentially cause a severe eye infection that in the most serious cases can cause blindness, with children being the most at risk group.

All that dogs owners have to do is pick it up using a plastic bag, seal the bag and put it in the nearest bin.

Dogs are wonderful animals that give enjoyment and friendship to many. But all dog owners need to act responsibly when it comes to cleaning up their mess.

Lord Roy Kennedy
Member of the House of Lords
and Councillor for Crofton Park and Honor Oak Park.

Well, that's that sorted then.
Jolly good show.

I think there are very few irresponsible dog owners in our area. Most dog walkers carry plastic bags and clear up if necessary. I have lost count of the number of times my dog has been accused of making a mess just because we have walked by some dog droppings.

Just a hunch but I think it's unlikely that the minority of irresponsible dog owners are regulars on SE23.com.

I totally agree that people should act responsibly, and like Sherwood have been challenged a number of times by random people accusing me of leaving a mess.
So while I appeal to dog owners to be responsible, I also appeal to the citizens of SE23 to behave responsibly and not just rudely blame the nearest dog owner.

I did witness a fellow dog owner executing a *hit and run the other day, but was too far away or just being ignored for my calls to be heard. I will catch them next time.

...I've always wondered why you can't DNA test a poop and then trace it back to a known dog, i.e. one that's registered at the vets (most dogs will be)? then we can prosecute the owners

I don't think that there's a national dog's DNA database yet.

I'd be interested to know from the councillor who started this thread what are his policies for sorting this out. Or is just putting a rather patronising post on this site the extent of what he's planning to do.

I believe there have been cases where persistent offenders have ended up with DNA testing. Problem is, the seriousness of the offence against the cost of a DNA test, and time spent investigating and prosecuting is hard to justify.

I too would like to hear the plan.

There has been a noticeable increase around Garthorne Road. I saw a chap in a green and white striped hoodie and jeans letting his dog c**p everywhere yesterday morning but he ignored my comments.

[Post removed due to abuse -admin]

Good work. Got a massive dollop of fox c**p on my path today and now I know why. I'm parallel to Ebsworth Street. I'll start to check for the food containers. Fairly sure the chap will struggle to "knock my head off" too.

My, what a charming couple. "I will knock you out". Really, I don't think so.

Lovely attitude in the video! Nothing like a reasoned conversation. Whilst I have little sympathy for them, I'm not sure you should post their actual address on a public forum.

I've noticed a lot of dog poo in past few days, I wonder if some owners pick it up less when it's raining, or maybe it just spreads a bit more?

OakR, not sure why he shouldn't. This is a forum to which the public have access and the incident took place in public.

I don't have a specific reason tbh, I just always feel a bit uncomfortable when actual addresses are published after a confrontation especially.

Wow, friendly pair eh. Wish I could find out who was leaving stuff out for the foxes outside my house too.
My favourite part was the misunderstanding of 'our street', and the response which made it quite clear it was THEIR street!

Back to the foxes though, someone leaves piles of chicken and other meat by the tree outside my house too, sadly the dogs who pass by including my own usually get to it first. So I now have to be cautious all the way up the (MY!) street in case the idiot has struck again.

Seems most of the fox poo ends up in the gardens around this area, but are some persistent offenders with dog poo ... Is it wrong that I can recognise dog poo and know its from the same dog?

I think it's one of this pair that I've seen standing in the middle of the street on the Garthorne Rd end of Ebsworth at around 11pm, chucking slops from a bucket out to feed the local wildlife.

Another animal lover regularly leaves whole packets of Brioche-looking stuff out in the alley way between Garthorne and Beadnell, perhaps imagining that a flock of chaffinches will descend and eat it all, rather than a rancid urban fox cr*pping all over and around it. I feel sorry for the residents of Beadnell who really do get the worst of it on their road from both dogs and foxes. There must have been one very unwell animal in that area last night... very unpleasant this morning.

Surely its worth speaking to environmental services about this?

well done - thread of the year....!