Dogs on walks in Stroud are at risk of getting poisoned from eating out of mouldy bins, fears a resident.

"Walking around the area I live in Stroud on collection day, I see a lot of discarded bins lying on the side of the road with leftover food and liquid stuck to the inside," Jacqui Baxter of Rodborough wrote to the SNJ.

"Not only are our pet dogs in danger, so are the wildlife in the area.

"Only yesterday I saw a horse on the common trying to get into one of these discarded bins."

Local vets have confirmed that dogs can fall ill and suffer from what is known as toxic shock if they get in food waste bins.

"We don't see it all that often, but dogs can have awful reactions," explained Emma Bailey, a vet at the George Veterinary Clinic in Nailsworth.

"Mycotoxins build up in the bins as the food rots. If a dog eats this mould, owners should be on the look out for symptoms ranging from tremors to seizures."

Despite Jacqui's fears, the district council says it has not been alerted to any incidents.

"We haven’t received a single report of a dog becoming ill after eating from recycling bins," a Stroud District Council spokesperson said.

"Our advice is that all dogs should be kept under proper control; this is not only for the safety of other people and animals, but also for the dog’s itself.

"You should never allow your dog to eat anything that you do not know the source of and always teach your dog the ‘leave’ command."

Emma also recommends people regularly wash out their bins and line them with compostable bags.