A child's sight damaged by dog sh*t

[Greensleeves]

There's a story in our local newspaper this morning about an eleven year old girl whose sight has been permanently damaged by toxicaria from dog mess left in the street.

I am sick, sick, sick of dodging piles of sh*t in the streets, courtesy of the lazy, selfish @rseholes who don't care enough for other people to clean up after their animals.

At the park today I saw a family in a cafe eat a big fry up followed by an ice cream each. The adults and kids were all obese and the parents smoked throughout. Now that was far more harmful to their childs health than dogs.

yuk to face licking. My sister tries to encourage my dog to lick her face and I have to tell her not to. Vile, vile, vile.

Of course dogs need to be worked, they are dogs.

sorry, meant wormed... not worked

well, I think they need to be worked as well! What reason would someone have for not worming them??

No idea, I blame it on ignorance and the medieval belief that dogs saliva could cure.

"Dogs and man have evolved together since our hunter gatherer days"

ah but you see I am a woman

The reason we act scared and clutch our children when we see a ruddy big dog charging over is because we are scared and it is the only way we know to protect them from the possibility of a dog biting them. We're not doing it with the purpose of making the child scared, we are doing it so the dog doesn't get a chance to maul our child. You may know your dog is harmless. I don't.

I didn't need to teach my children to be afraid of dogs!
In fact, I didn't even want them to be afraid of dogs.

But they are, purely because some irresponsible dog owners can't control their dogs and let them run up to tiny children, jumping up at them, nearly knocking them over, getting mud all over them...

and then don't even apologize, but just come out with the stupid line "He's only playing"

I don't want to hi-jack this thread, but this is sort of related...

Cat poo.

Our neighbours have a cat who uses our garden as a litter tray and seems to have the runs.

As DS gets closer to crawling, it really pees us off and worries us, but what can we do?

Do we have any legal comeback, or can anyone suggest anyways of (humanely) getting the cat to leave our lawn alone?

squirt water, throw things.

get a dog!

There is no legal come back on the owners of a cat, as opposed to a dog, and cats are recognised under law as being basicaly 'untrainable', IYSWIM. I understand that getting lion/tiger compost from a garden centre can act as a natural deterant. I would also keep a plant sprayer full of water close to hand, if you see the cat, spray it, It doen't harm the cat, but they don't like it

Cayena pepper, lots of it!

Dogs have to be kept under control in public areas or on the lead. Noone's dog should go running up to children. I keep my dog on the lead when there are lots of kids around although he has no interest in them but they do in him.

Sorrry - noones

trouble is though north, that people do let their dogs off the lead, all the time. I'm not frightened of dogs, and neither are my kids, but ds is very allergic to them. So I hate it when we go to a park and a dog bounds up to him. He loves them, but they trigger his asthma in minutes.

Same is true of the dog shit, people shouldn't leave it, but they do.

Good owners don't do either, but I have seen both done, just about every time I go to the local parks

Btw it's hercules with a not on the front.

Yes, you are right but most dog owners are responsible.

gawd, I can't keep up with all these changes

I changed ages ago but dont come on so often.

P.S dead jealous about you going campint. We were going to go but arent now for various reasons.

I am getting so excited, I'm worse than the kids!

Dh is excited as he has a tomtom gps and this is the first time we'll get to use it.

God, how sad we all sound!

I can't stand staying home in the holidays, I feel I have to do 'jobs' round the house

beg your pardon? A tomtom gps??

We live on a public footpath and the number of people who let their dogs shit by out gate maddens me, it is disgusting. Also the number of dog owners who have no control over their dogs makes me

one of those things that tells you the way to drive! 'In 800m, take the next left'

ds has taken to copying it, which causes much hilarity chez martian....we are all easily pleased

DH is always bugging me to get one of those. Claims it will aid camping too.

I love dogs but wouldn't hesitate in kicking an oveexcited/agresive one that is rapidly getting too near to my dogs (yorkies), let alone one charging against my child. If his/her owner can't control it, I will. My aunt was walking her toy dog when an overexcited Dobermann just charged at the dog's neck. Dog was dead by the time the Dobermann released her... so... I'm not taking any chances.

I wouldnt hesitate to kick either.

tbh, part of what drove us to get one (no pun intended) is that I drive to wales on a regular basis on my own.

Now, I know the way like the back of my hand, but if there is a diversion, I find it very stressful, and these things will guide you through, no problem.

If you have someone in the car with you, you don't really need one (I'm bloody good at map reading, with dh a pilot it is almosr expected ). But if you are on your own, going somewhere unfamilier, they are helpful.