TOWN councillors have reiterated the need to control dogs in the cemetery amid claims that there is a shortage of places around Driffield for people to walk their pets.
Resident Mr Keith Russell wrote to the council to claim that Coun Steve Poessl was wrong when he said previously that there were plenty of other places to walk dogs.
He wrote: "Driffield is very short of suitable areas and even shorter of safe are
as in which an active dog can be allowed to run at full stretch."
But Coun Poessl told the town council on Tuesday that the Driffield area was rich with routes ideally suited to dog walkers.
He cited numerous public locations such as the path between the town and Nafferton, along Long Lane, the Millennium Green and Kings Mill, Allotment Lane, along the canal to Wansford, around Little Driffield and the Horsefair, Lowndes Park and along Meadow Lane.
"Why do people need to walk their dogs in the cemetery?," said Coun Poessl.
He reiterated calls for a ban on dogs in the cemetery and added: "I was always taught respect. I was told never ever to walk on graves. That is what I find totally appalling."
Mr Russell told the council: "Yes, it is unpleasant to find dog faeces on a grave, and some human being has broken the law of the land by allowing it to be there, but it is only animal dung for goodness sake and not radio active waste.
"The logical extension of such a policy will be to ban all dogs from anywhere that some anti-social dog owner has left the mess dropped by their dog."
But Coun Poessl spoke of concerns about the distress caused to relatives by dogs messing on graves and said: "I wish that people would have a little more respect. It is people's loved ones."
The East Riding of Yorkshire Council is currently carrying out consultations before deciding on which areas to ban or restrict dogs across the county.
The town council has been asked for its views on the subject as part of the process.
Coun Joyce Fletcher said she did not have a problem with people walking their dogs in the cemetery if they were on a lead.
"Some people like to take their pets to visit the graves," she said.
Coun Joan Cooper said there were potential problems with people who walked their dogs on extended leads which meant they were so far away they could not keep track of where the animal was.
The mayor, Coun John Pougher said: "On the whole, you do not have to go to the graveyard to walk your dog."
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