That is a nasty looking rash

There are signs outside the park in Bigastro which say “No Perros” and thankfully these seem to be heeded by dog owners taking their pets for a walk.

In the streets, most owners are responsible enough to clear up the mess that their dogs leave although we have witnessed a number of exceptions to this.

The real problem is of course stray dogs, those that have been let out to roam by themselves or those that have no owner. They wander wherever they wish, go to the toilet wherever suits them and there is nobody to clean up afterwards.

Dog excrement poses a serious health risk especially during this hot weather. Whilst adults will studiously avoid the little piles on the pavement, children are often too preoccupied to notice them.

I read this morning that mothers in San Isidro have stopped taking their children to play in the park because so many of them have suffered from nasty infections that could only be related to ​​excrement from stray dogs.

Local doctors in the town have advised parents to avoid the park because of this problem.

It isn't just dogs though that foul pavements, cats too are guilty.

Most domestic cats are trained by their owners to use some part of the garden as a toilet or to use a tray of cat litter indoors. Feral cats though just find somewhere convenient to dump their waste.

There is a feral cat that visits our garden who likes to use the large plant pots as her toilet. I’ve tried to stop her coming into the garden but that is a hopeless task, a determined cat will find away even if it means making death defying leaps.