Responsible dog owners understand real dangers posed by random fouling
I REFER to the recent spirited attack upon Mr and Mrs Supplied which was, in reality, a proposition that we should all turn a blind eye to dog fouling on our beaches, suggesting that it is no more harmful than horse manure.
In the light of the recent ITV local news report of Thursday 20 April, highlighting the impact of dog fouling on the dairy industry in both islands, it is time to confront such misinformation.
Many defenders of a dog’s right to foul compare dog fouling with the ‘leavings’ of horses. They deliberately ignore the fact that horse manure is a vegetable product often used as garden compost while dog faeces are principally a protein-based, fat-containing product which are slow to break down and which frequently contain parasites presenting real dangers to both humans and other animals.
For example, toxocariasis is an infection caused by roundworms found in dog faeces. If ingested by humans, the worms can spread to parts of the body such as the liver, lungs or eyes and lead to serious problems such as breathing difficulties or loss of vision. Children, those with compromised immune systems and pregnant women are particularly susceptible to toxocariasis. The idea that ‘the very small amount of dog faeces left uncollected’ is comparable to horse droppings on the same beach is irresponsible and ignores the scientific realities.
Of equal concern but away from the beach, as highlighted by CTV, is the impact on cattle, where ingestion of dog-fouled grass, hay or silage leads to two serious diseases: Neosporosis, causing abortion in cattle, and sarcocystosis. Both cause significant economic loss to farmers which, by one estimate in 2020, exceeded £100,000pa in Guernsey. Those who let their dogs run free in empty fields should be aware of this, doubtless unintended, consequence.
Responsible dog owners – who are in the majority – understand the real dangers posed by indiscriminate fouling. It is the careless and irresponsible who need to understand why they should pick up after their dogs, wherever they foul. Let us focus on the real issue – rather than the imagined slight of Mr and Mrs Supplied – and ensure that all dog waste is disposed of in waste bins or household black bags.
A BODMAN
St Martin’s