Sir – I saw an article in the national press which reported that a city (London, I think) had introduced a fine of £50 for dog owners whose dogs fouled the streets.
It inevitably took my mind back to the notorious matchstick-littering incident in Oxford a few weeks ago, where the matchstick fine was £80. It seems to me that we should have a similar policy in Oxford, perhaps using a sliding scale. If the fine for dropping a matchstick is £80, then I would suggest that the fine for minor dog-fouling should start at £250, and increase according to the severity of the incident.
No doubt the council could set up a standing committee to decide the appropriate level of penalty for each offence. We will also need a Dog-Fouling Police along the lines of the recently-introduced Litter Police. I will be the first to volunteer, but, as a cynophobic, will need to be accompanied by a large, non-dog-fearing person.
I have to confess some sympathy for the undergraduate involved in the Great Matchstick Incident. In central Oxford, there are almost no receptacles in which to dispose safely of a potentially-smouldering matchstick or cigarette end. If he had thrown it into a litter bin, he would probably have been charged with attempted arson.
Nigel Clarke, Oxford
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