I WOULD like to thank the many considerate dog owners who exercise their pets around the streets of the Lammack area of Blackburn. They are obviously aware of the anti-social aspects and health risks arising from dogs fouling footpaths and are very careful to clean up after theirs.

Unfortunately, their efforts are being undermined by a small minority of uncaring and lazy dog owners who appear to regard the pavement as an open toilet for their animals and do not consider that they have any responsibility to remove the offensive and dangerous mess left by their pets.

I find it particularly worrying that so much dog excrement is deposited on the pavement just outside Lammack junior school.

Surely, owners must be aware of the dangers to children who come into contact with dog excrement, which is so easily transferred from shoes and clothes into the mouths of young children.

As someone who is partially sighted, I am very concerned that their selfishness and laziness could result in an innocent child being afflicted with blindness for no other reason than that they attend a school in the area where a small number of dog owners are so irresponsible. For the children's sake, please, clean up your dog's act.

DENIS GAVAGHAN, Montreal Road, Blackburn.

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