Grieving mother upset after dog fouls near sons grave (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Grieving mother upset after dog fouls near sons grave

10:10am Thursday 11th March 2010

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A GRIEVING mother has blasted two irresponsible dog owners after she watched their pets foul near her son's grave as stood and talked close by.

Sheena Hayward, of Whelford, near Fairford, was left devastated when her 21-year-old son Tony was killed in a car accident in 2001, just four days before Christmas.

Once a week, Sheena and her husband visit Tony's grave in Kempsford cemetery to lay flowers.

However, when they visited the grave last month, they were left furious when two women arrived at the cemetery with their dogs and allowed them to run wild.

She said it was not long before one of the dogs was fouling on a grave just a matter of yards away from her son’s.

"It is so disrespectful," she said.

"I would have thought people would automatically know not to bring dogs into a cemetery. It is supposed to be a peaceful place where grieving relatives and friends can find comfort. It is not a designated dogs’ toilet area."

Mrs Hayward said it was particularly shocking since poppy wreaths are still on the war memorial and ex-servicemen are buried in the cemetery.

She added: "The two women weren’t even paying attention to the dogs, they were just chatting away.

"I was furious, if we weren’t at the cemetery, it could well have been Tony’s grave which was fouled on.

"How would they feel if someone collected dogs mess and threw it in their garden?

‘I would like to visit my son without worrying over something like this."

Mrs Hayward said the pair looked embarrassed and apologised after she confronted them.

She now says that she would welcome a clampdown on irresponsible dog owners by parish councillors.

Parish council chairman Tony Williams said: "Dog fouling has always been a controversial issue in the village and a real nuisance. It is particularly concerning that it has occurred in the cemetery."

Clerk to the parish council, Teresa Griffin, said the council hoped to ban install a No Dogs Allowed sign on the gates to the cemetery.

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