Re: J. Poirer's letter to the editor (My front yard is not your dog's personal toilet, Oakville Beaver, July 4) reflects my feelings regarding this issue exactly. 

As for the views expressed in Susan's Johnston's letter to the editor,  (Dog markings are not harmful to grass lawns, Oakville Beaver, July 11) I will simply say that she failed to convince me that we should embrace the idea of dogs defecating on our lawns and be truly happy should they urinate there - I suppose we should be ecstatic, if they do both.

Public parks, sidewalks, trails, woodlots, etc. are already being used as dogs' toilets. Must our private property be used as toilets, too?

This is not just about public vs. private property. It is also about respect, responsibility, and common courtesy.

There are dog owners who make sure their dogs do their business before going for a walk, and if their dogs need to answer the call of nature while en route their owners make sure municipal / public property is used to that effect instead of private property.

Why, you may ask? Because they are considerate, respectful, and courteous. I must confess that if I were a dog owner, I would feel very self-conscious about letting my pet use other people's property as a toilet.

It is thus not the view of homeowners like J. Poirer that need to change, but the attitude of many dog owners towards other residents.

Even when pet owners pick up after their pets, residual amounts of feces are left behind (often more than just residual). Dog feces are a public health issue. When people come into contact with pet feces (directly or indirectly) they can become infected with toxoplasmosis, roundworm, Giardia, Campylobacter, Leptospira,  Cryptosporidium, E. Coli, etc., some of which can even cause blindness.

Consequently, dogs defecating on people's lawns exposes families to diseases right on their very own, private front yards, which dog owners should keep in mind at all times.
Young children playing on front yards are not as careful about sources of infection as adults. When they touch grass contaminated with feces or an object that has been in contact with dog feces they can become infected.

So next time you are thinking about allowing your dog to trespass onto someone's property to do their business, consider that you may be irreparably changing someone's life forever.
 
P. Nobre