Foot-and-mouth disease is mainly spread by people's feet, animal paws, birds and on the wind.

A recent television programme featured a farmer complaining that he had seen a strange man with a dog walking across his farmland.

I am a vegetarian and am appalled at the slaughter of thousands of young and healthy animals.

I have very limited sight and nearly every time I go into the streets of Brighton I tread in some foul dog dirt.

A few nights ago I saw a group of apparent vagrants sending their dogs on to the War Memorial to mess.

As a Burma Star veteran, I was appalled. Dog dirt carries millions of germs. I have never seen anyone walking a dog in this town carrying a poop stick.

Before we have an epidemic here, will Brighton and Hove City Council now take urgent actions to curb this disgusting menace?

-J Anthony, Ditchling Rise, Brighton