LLANEGRYN councillor Louise Hughes says she is “at her wits’ end” with irresponsible dog owners.

Cllr Hughes says she is fed up with having to clean up other people’s dog piles in a valley near her home, by Glan y Wern farm.

The valley contains a public footpath which is often frequented by children in the area as well as other local residents and Cllr Hughes is deeply concerned about the likelihood of toxocariasis – a condition which causes serious illness and even blindness when people come into close contact with dog poo.

“For years I’ve cleared and disposed of other people’s dog mess in a field down the valley,” she told the Cambrian News. “Well last week I thought ‘I’m not doing this any more!’ and left the bags by the gate to the field.”

Cllr Hughes is upset that reckless dog owners are not aware of their responsibilities.

“I spoke to another dog owner this morning, he’s another regular dog walker, and told him what I was doing,” she continued.

“He said he doesn’t clean up in the field because ‘it’s not a public footpath’!

“I said ‘that’s not the point’ and actually there is a public footpath running right down the middle of the field which leads to the Woodland Trust woods.

“Obviously some people think that cleaning up after their dog doesn’t apply to them."

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