I love living in Kingston. It is the perfect place to bring up my young family and there is the added bonus of London’s largest royal park on my doorstep.

However, Richmond Park is overshadowed by one thing – dog fouling.

I had never noticed it much before, but since spending so much more time there with my children, it is clear there is a serious problem that needs addressing.

Even though it is a breach of the park’s regulations to not clear up after your dog fouls in the park (police issue £60 on the spot fines), a lot of people do not seem bothered.

Whenever I go there I have to be on constant mess watch to make sure my children do not touch it, tread in it or fall in it.

Not the nicest way to spend a sunny day in the park. In fact, I prefer to visit Ham Common now, as the problem does not seem to be anywhere near as bad.

Is it really that difficult to pick up your dog’s excrement?

If you do not like doing it, do not own a dog or at least do not come to Richmond Park with it.

Do not get me wrong, I love dogs, but it is quite simply dangerous and unacceptable to allow them to fill the park with mess and not remove it.

I know they are not responsible for the park, but I was really pleased to read in your paper that Kingston Council is trialling a new scheme this summer in the town centre, north Kingston and Surbiton, which will see £80 fines being issued to people not clearing up their dog’s mess.

I hope it makes an impact, as it does not appear to be working in Richmond Park.

Thankfully, even the younger generations have been getting involved, as shown by the great work of the Poosaders.

The anonymous Kingston children travel around circling dog poo with eco-friendly paint to stop pedestrians putting their foot in it and to highlight the problem.

We need to start naming and shaming the dog owners blatantly refusing to clean up, then maybe they will get the message.

At the end of the day, I realise the situation in Richmond Park is impossible to enforce unless you catch the culprits at the time, and I know our officers have better things to do than watch dogs all day. That is why all visitors need to take responsibility when they visit the park with their dogs, so they do not ruin it for the rest of us.

MICHAEL UNDERWOOD
Kingston