A GRANDMOTHER is sick of dogs fouling right outside her gate and the owners not picking the mess up.

Linda Metcalf says she has complained to North Ayrshire Council at least twice about the dog dirt outside her Saltcoats home and is at her wits’ end.

She said: “It’s an ongoing issue and I’m getting nowhere with the council. I just want to stop the dogs doing it right outside my gate; we’ve got to go in and out of there. I’ve got nine grandchildren and I’m worried for them. I don’t want that trampled in my house.

“My husband went out with a bucket of water to clean it all, which he shouldn’t have to do.

“The owners are just standing there until the dog’s finished and they’re not picking it up. It’s making me angry and annoyed because there’s a wee grassy bit where the dogs can do the toilet, but they just stop outside my gate. It’s terrible that you’re having to watch not standing in dog mess.”

A North Ayrshire Council spokesperson said: “We share the frustrations of the family concerned. Dog fouling is an environmental crime and effectively a crime against the whole community.

“We have a hard-working environmental enforcement team who are visible across the region and have had a significant impact, having issued over 1,300 fixed penalty notices since being set up nearly three years ago. They target areas where environmental crime – including fly-tipping, dog fouling and littering – is a problem.

“We will monitor this area in Saltcoats and take action against any offenders observed.

“We also plan to erect signs to help address the concerns of residents and remind dog owners/walkers of their responsibilities.

“It is unfortunate that a small minority of dog owners/walkers continue to act in this way. 

"We would urge them to act responsibly and follow the majority by showing respect to their fellow residents and communities by clearing up their dog’s mess.”