Exaggerated (From Penarth Times)

Exaggerated

I WAS somewhat surprised to read in your August 15 edition that Labour Assembly Member, Lorraine Barrett, had accused local conservatives of claiming the dubious credit for introducing new by-laws which would, in effect, punish many of us law abiding dog owners for the sins of a few irresponsible ones.

Well, I see that our town is now generously endowed with a variety of signs obviously designed to scare the living daylights out of the more gullible dog owners.

One, believe it or not, banned dogs completely from a long abandoned, totally vandalised children's playground on the virtually deserted Billybanks complex, although it was mysteriously removed within a few days!

I too hate to see dog mess in public places and despise owners who fail to remove it.

I feel similarly about partly eaten or partly digested takeaways deposited on our pavements by human animals and lanes paved with smashed bottles and whose doors and walls are frequently decorated with obscene graffiti.

Where are the signs and what are the penalties related to this kind of fouling?

Ms Barrett and the council are trying to use a sledgehammer to crack a walnut and surely don't expect ever to get away with fining

For example, an old fogey like me £1,000 or even a small fraction of it, for allowing my beloved little dog free to chase her ball in our once, but not now, immaculate Alexandra Park . . . the one that gets regularly vandalised after dark because the council can't afford to lock up.

I have lived happily in Penarth for many years, during which, I believe the tiny anti-dog brigade has regularly and grossly exaggerated its complaints.

It, and our Councillors, should bear in mind that our cats and dogs are not only our faithful companions especially in our old age, but that dogs are also our burglar alarms, sometimes even our eyes.

They don't care how old and ugly we grow.

So please find more difficult targets to concern you - the Lord knows there are plenty about!

Mr S C Baird Stanwell Road Penarth