Dog owners must clean up messes

The public park at the corner of Michael and Newbury roads in Newbury Park is not designated as a “dog park.” Yet it is certainly a nice place for neighbors to walk their dogs, and often the children who play in the park enjoy the canine visitors, as does my son.

In fact, the park is generous enough to provide “pick-up bags” from dispensers, free of charge, and trash bins for disposal. Yet with everything done for them, other than the act of “picking up” itself, I regularly find dog feces littered across the plush grass when I am there playing with my child. This is simply appalling.

While many dog walkers are considerate enough to clean up after themselves, those who do not are among the most vile, selfish and inconsiderate people around. I’m not sure how these folks would feel if I decided to relieve myself on their living room rug, but that act is no more disgraceful than that which they participate in on a regular basis. And the look––you’ve seen it–– that some dog owners have on their faces that says, “Oh, is my dog going? I didn’t notice” would be comical if not so classless.

Additionally, there is a local dog whose owner sees this park as his own backyard. “Fido” runs around unattended on a regular basis. While many in the park indeed have as much fun with the dog as the dog has with them, there is no responsibility whatsoever on the part of the owner to oversee the festivities or to clean up, from what I have seen.

I do not own a dog, but I have been told that one method of training them is to put their nose in their “mistake’ while reprimanding them. All I can say is these offending dog owners better not let me catch them in the act or they may find that I may use the same technique, and I don’t mean on the dogs. William O. Gaynor Newbury Park