I want to underline yet again how irresponsible it is to leave dogs tied up outside places where the owner cannot see them.

Records show that one dog a week is stolen from outside supermarkets, post offices and doctors’surgeries etc, where queues and long waits are the norm.

You should never leave a dog anywhere that is out of your sight even for a few minutes.

A car can pull up and snatch your pet. Just imagine how traumatic that experience is for a vulnerable dog left trustingly waiting for the owner’s return and so often there is no happy ending.

My dogs were taken for their walks but in no way were they involved in shopping or similar situations. It was their time and when I went shopping I left them safely at home.

I would not consider leaving them anywhere they were not safe and under my supervision. They were my responsibility and relied solely on me to keep them safe.

My heart sinks every time I see a dog tied up outside places, often whining or barking and clearly anxious. Sometimes the weather is hot and they are panting. Who knows when they last had a drink?

You see the owners carting them round the shops with a cold drink or ice cream for themselves and a very hot thirsty dog in tow.

On other occasions the weather is wet and windy and the dog is left for ages waiting.

Are these people animal lovers? To avoid all these distressing situations and even worse the risk of never seeing your dog again, don’t take them shopping at all and never tie them up anywhere.

Diane Firth, Worthing, Address supplied