It is clear that we are now suffering an explosion in the amount of dog mess around the village, and many small black bags being discarded. There is no excuse for this. If you are walking your dog, please follow the rule “Bag It, Bin It”. If there is no dog waste bin available, you may use normal litter bins or your own black bin. Not having a suitable bag is not a reasonable excuse. Whilst rare, contact with dog excrement can cause toxocariasis. There is no need for this anti-social behaviour. It is an offence not to clean up after your dog, and the penalty is a maximum fine of £1000.