I WOULD like to take the opportunity to reply to 'Concerned' (Dear Star, March 11) with regards to a fixed penalty notice issued to her sister for allowing her dog to foul on designated land and failing to clean up afterwards.

Fixed penalty notices are only issued when it is considered that this course of action can be justified in court, as the recipient has a legal right to challenge its correctness.

St Helens Council has promoted responsible dog ownership for more than 20 years, being particularly concerned about dog problems which affect the public at large, e.g. stray dogs, dangerous dogs and dog fouling in public places.

Over the past two years dog owners have been constantly informed of the council's determination to enforce the 'clean-up' laws and most dog owners realise that it is no longer acceptable not to clear up dog faeces after their dog has fouled in a public place.

As with parking tickets, speeding fines, etc., the recipient of a fixed penalty notice can feel aggrieved, and if your correspondent wishes to discuss this particular incident he/she is welcome to contact me at the Environmental Health Section in Wesley House.

S. J. Massey, Chief Environmental Health Officer, St Helens Council.

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