In reference to Mrs P Cooper’s letter on June 29, I was saddened to read her request for dogs to be banned not only from all children’s play areas but also sports fields and parks.

I do get quite annoyed at people like her as it’s so one-sided. I can understand a dog not being allowed into a child’s play area completely but to wish dogs to be banned from fields and parks is so mean.

Is she not aware that we are a nation of animal lovers and pride ourselves on that fact?

I understand not all people feel this way, but we humans domesticated dogs in the first place so we could live with them and have a bond that is unbreakable both ways.

Fields and parks are where a majority of families go to and, being a sociable pet, dogs do not like being on their own for hours on end. There are many dog bins around such parks and fields and for her to suggest that even though most of us pick up the dog mess, she still thinks dogs should not be there, is so out of touch with most of our nation.

I am a dog owner and go out of my way to find places that do allow our pet to come with us.

When we are out, my own children make a mess with papers, dropping food etc as all kids do. I wonder if other mothers pick up their mess, as us responsible dog owners do for our pets’ mess?

I would say to the likes of Mrs P Cooper that it works both ways – try to be a bit more tolerant of others in this world.

I would like to make one last point – a baby that is brought up in the home with a dog usually has a better immune system than a baby without a dog. One can be too obsessed about certain germs, we need to be subjected to many to be able to build up immunity to them.

Dogs mix nicely with children, families and even the Queen – stop trying to spoil it for us.

KIM WEBB, Queens Close, Eynsham