The Parish Council continues to have many complaints of dog fouling on verges outside houses and on the Memorial Playing Fields. The Council asks all dog owners to avoid causing this unpleasant nuisance. Please clear up behind your pet! The problem has been discussed with Twyford Surgery and Dr J O’Sullivan has sent us the following information:-

To whom it may concern:

• It is obviously very unpleasant to play football or cricket and for children to play on the Memorial Playing Field soiled with dog faeces. My sympathies go out to those unfortunate mothers, wives or girl friends who have to wash players’ or children’s clothes after an incident.
• There are some very real dangers to players and children. Firstly, any cuts or grazes sustained during a match or while children are at play may become contaminated and several dangerous infections may result. The most dangerous of these is tetanus which can be lethal in the unvaccinated. Just ordinary cellulitis may result in weeks of antibiotic treatment.
• The rarest, but most exotic infection that can result from contamination by dog faeces is toxocariasis. This can cause a transient illness with fever, lassitude, loss of appetite, pallor and often coughing and wheezing. If you are very unlucky a worm may lodge in an eye and cause blindness. This illness is entirely due to a worm called toxocara canis which is only present in dog faeces.
• I would appeal to any dog walker to avoid letting his or her dog soil the playing fields especially on pitches and children’s play area. If they do I would ask them to clear up the mess before some child or player unfortunately brings home one of these afflictions. The same applies to verges outside houses.

Dr J O’SULLIVAN, Twyford Surgery

This notice appeared in the Parish Magazine in December 1995 and again in March 1997