WHAT is it about a small minority of dog owners who refuse to clean up after their pets?

Wheelchair user Ali Gibbs, who lives in Whitehawk, regularly ends up with dog mess on her hands which is picked up on the wheels of her chair. That is an absolutely disgusting thing to have to deal with.

Clearly the message about clearing up after your dog is not getting through to some people as others, like Ali, suffer the extremely unpleasant consequences.

Despite the threat of a fine if caught, some still clearly think they can get away with it by letting their dogs defecate at will.

Clearing up after a dog is simple, all you need to do is carry several plastic bags with you and once your dog’s mess is picked up in one of the bags, secure it and place it in one of the nearby bins installed specifically for that purpose.

There is surely little more unpleasant than either inadvertently stepping on dogs’ mess or propelling a wheelchair through it.

There is simply no excuse for not clearing up after your dog.

That brings us neatly to another aspect of dog ownership and some of their bone idle owners.

Why, once some have cleared up after their pets, do they choose to hang the bags on the nearest bush or tree?

It is environmentally hazardous, looks unsightly and is completely and utterly unnecessary with the profusion of bins provided across the city.

It is wonderful to see so many beautiful dogs being walked by their proud owners on our streets and on the seafront.

But there is absolutely no excuse for not cleaning up after them.