A grieving mum says thoughtless dog walkers constantly let their pets toilet near her seven-year-old son’s grave – including while she’s there mourning.

Tina King and husband Steven suddenly lost their eldest son Kristopher on July 24, 2024.

The ‘happy wee loon’ suffered from a rare condition affecting lymph tissue in his leg, and was recovering from pneumonia when he unexpectedly died.

Kristopher is buried at New Elgin Cemetery, near the couple’s home, and Tina visits his grave most days.

‘I’m astounded at the amount of dog walkers,’ she said. ‘It’s just bizarre. I’m like “why are you here?”‘

Tina, who’s also a mother to Hannah (15), James (7) and Isabelle (5), said she has even endured dogs doing their business beside Kristopher’s grave while she has been there mourning.

She said it is an issue she sees ‘probably every time’ she goes to the cemetery.

‘Kristopher has got quite a nice spot close to the entrance, where cars park,’ she explained. ‘Dogs come in and immediately start sniffing, looking for somewhere to do their business.

‘Fair enough owners are picking it up, but that’s not the point. It shouldn’t be allowed. It’s so disrespectful and unnecessary. I see some people doing a couple of laps of the cemetery waiting for the dog to toilet.

‘Sometimes I want to scream at them ‘I have a seven-year-old buried here’.

‘They need to know that these are real people, real families… families that have been pulled apart. It shouldn’t take for them to bury someone themselves to realise how disgusting what they’re doing is.

‘I would be mortified if it were my dog doing that.’

It was recently reported that a memorial stone for babies lost in pregnancy, also located at New Elgin Cemetery, is being used as a ‘dog toilet’ by walkers.

The Moray Pregnancy Loss Memorial Stone’s devastated custodian – known only as Caireall – lost two babies during pregnancy, in 1991 and 1993, and is heartbroken at the ‘precious’ memorial being treated with disrespect.

‘It’s insulting and it’s hurting terribly,’ she said.

Caireall contacted Moray Council about this issue – which Tina said she also did, 18 months ago.

A council spokesperson told the Scot that dog fouling anywhere is ‘completely unacceptable’ but that these cases relating to cemeteries are ‘particularly upsetting’.

‘We have been working with local residents to address concerns at New Elgin Cemetery and will be increasing Community Warden patrols, installing additional signage and continuing to remind dog owners of their responsibilities,’ the council added.

‘We would ask all visitors to show respect for the cemetery, keep dogs under control and clean up after them at all times.’

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