I reply to the letter of Gzira mayor Albert Rizzo regarding the problem of dog owners not cleaning up after their dogs on the Gzira Strand.

As a dog owner myself I am shocked to see others not always abiding by the law and cleaning up after their dog. As a result of these irresponsible dog owners the Gzira local council has put up signs forbidding all dogs into gardens!

In other countries the dog is considered as an extension of the family and parts of public gardens are allocated for use by dogs! Why should all dog owners be banned from exercising their dogs in safety because of a few irresponsible dog owners? The law states that dog owners must clean up after their dogs and it is up to the local council to enforce the law.

If the council is "conscious of this problem" why have no special bins for dog pooh been distributed on our streets, promenades and gardens? Only on The Strand promenade can litter bins be seen, and they are certainly not ecologically correct for dog excrement!

How can the government promote refuse selection when many local councils consider "dog pooh bins" as an unnecessary expense? Surely these bins will encourage dog owners to keep the pavements clean. The situation at present means that law-abiding dog owners have to carry their "packet" the entire way home, where they can dispose of it correctly.

I strongly feel that this government lacks a bit of give and take and uses fines as easy revenue! Surely the government should do its bit, thus educating its people, before lashing out with (sometimes) astronomical fines!

Once the "dog pooh bins" and "doggy patches" are installed then the law can be enforced. Green wardens hopefully will be seen doing their bit, and the public garden will at last be open to our dogs, as once promised to me during the Gzira election campaign.

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