Black Isle councillor Billy Barclay's call for a get-tough policy comes as a health chief warned of the risk of blindness to people caught unawares.

Fortrose woman Victoria Young contacted the Journal this week after being "absolutely sickened" by the extent of dog fouling on the beach at Rosemarkie, yards away from where children were playing. She said, "It's the worst I have ever seen it. I was taking my own daughter's dog for a walk and was appalled at what I was seeing.

"It is an absolute disgrace that people should take their dogs to a beautiful beach and then be too lazy to pick up after them. There were kids there making sandcastles and, nearby, two bins dedicated for dog waste, neither of which were full.

"It comes down to people taking responsibility for their dogs."

Her comments were backed by Cllr Barclay who said, "The thing I would like to see implemented by the Council is a naming and shaming policy, which I believe has been looked in to by one or two councillors. Dog mess, especially on a beach, is totally unacceptable and I would urge members of the public to report anyone responsible."

The offence carries a maximum fine of £500 but is rarely prosecuted. The latest available figures show five fixed penalty notices were issued in Ross and Cromarty in 2006.

Fellow Black Isle councillor Craig Fraser said, "I have two dogs myself and I clean up after my own dogs and I would just hope that responsible dog owners would clean up after their own dogs, especially on the beach.

"It is coming up to the tourist season and there is nothing worse than seeing dog fouling on the sandy areas. There is also a growing trend for some dog owners to bag up dog waste and then throw the bag into the bushes, that just drives me nuts.

"I would just implore dog owners to be responsible with the dog waste."

Councillor Fraser said he regulary walks along the railway track between Avoch and Fortrose with the village officer picking up litter and they find several plastic bags of dog mess left behind by "lazy" dog owners.

Mark MacAndrews, of Rosemarkie Amenties Association, who runs a beach-side cafe there during the summer season, said, "We supply dog waste bags when we are open. It's a touchy subject but we try to persuade people to keep their dogs on leads when on the beach – that way it's harder for them to walk away from the problem. In the past I have physically gone and given bags to people. Clearly there are not enough dog wardens but I would still urge anyone to report offenders as it is disgusting."

NHS Highland public health consultant Ken Oates said that while there are relatively few cases of toxocara – transmitted from animals to man and produced by parasitic worms that can be found in excrement – "it can be an unpleasant illness and may in some cases result in blindness". He added, "The most at risk group are children, commonly between two and four years of age."

He went on, "Responsible pet owners should ensure that their dog faeces is removed from public areas like parks and beaches and disposed of appropriately. Parents should ensure that children wash their hands after being on the beach and especially before they eat or drink anything."

A spokewoman for Highland Council was unable to provide up-to-date fixed penalty prosecution figures as we went to press yesterday.

But she said, "We would urge people to report problems to us and we will follow up."

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