I FEEL I must respond to Ian Thornton's letter regarding dog fouling on beaches and public places.

He suggests visitors should sit on deckchairs to allow the minority of dog-owners to continue to use the sands like a litter tray and suggests the tides exist to flush the faeces away.

Firstly, there are areas of soft sand that go for days without seeing the tide, this is where visitors usually walk, sometimes in bare feet, and let me assure him there is plenty of mess there.

He doesn’t mention the parks or the promenades or that toddlers are scared by uncontrolled dogs.

I know many people are genuinely concerned about these problems, is he seriously suggesting that because some people drop litter then it doesn’t matter?

As it happens, I use the beaches and parks 12 months a year too, but that doesn’t give me any special rights.

Rather than become defensive, responsible dog-owners should join the campaign to keep these places clean and safe.

P Montoya, New Brighton.