Rant alert. Be a Lert, your country needs lerts.

Try as I might I cannot avoid the trees that are gradually being killed in our quiet little valley at the bottom of the village. Somebody has rescued a Staffie/Boxer cross. The dog has been trained for fighting as it keeps biting trees and strips the bark a method of hardening a dogs bite and building powerful mandibular muscles, result, slow death for the tree. I have lost count now that 30+ have been stripped.

I haven't met the owner yet. I can only believe that he is unaware of the consequences of his dogs actions. The local police officer and other walkers are being made aware, for the simple reason that if this animal gets hold of a child, or indeed an adult, severe damage will be done.

Fortunately we have both Police and a dog warden in the village.

PS Flossie was checking on how she was going to get across the stream without warning Henry the retriever, who true to his breed's name had retrieved her ball. Thieving barsteward!