Mark McClenaghan, 42, says he is being harassed by some neighbours in his Cedar Wood Court home because guide dog Rebus is going to the toilet on the grass to the rear of the block of flats.

In letters of complaint sent to the building’s factor, the neighbours complain Rebus’ fouling is ‘burning and destroying’ the grass, and called for Mark to re-turf it. This is despite Mark paying £300 to install a dog run for Rebus to go to the toilet in, and even arranged for puppy walking volunteers to clean up after him as he can’t see the mess.

Mark – who discovered at seven-years-old he was losing his sight because of Retinitis Pigmentosa – says he was confronted by a neighbour who told him last week, ‘can you not see the mess?’ and ‘surely with your heightened senses you should be able to smell it?’ by a neighbour.

This was the final straw for Mark who feels these remarks were ‘below the belt’.

The 42-year-old said: “I have lived in the flat for over a year now, and within the first few months there were complaints directed at me about my guide dog going to the toilet on the grass.

“I took action and have three volunteers who come in daily to clean up behind him so there is never a build up. The volunteers pop in whenever they are passing the flat and are willing to help me out.

“As a guide dog, Rebus has to have no distractions when we go for a walk so he must go to the toilet before going out, I explained this to my neighbours that the communal ground to the rear of the flats is the best place. Other dogs and animals use the grass as well, it is not just Rebus.

“But the complaints built up, in person and in writing to my landlady, and they insisted I build a dog run, which I did at a cost of £300.

“And now they are still not happy and demand I re-turf the lawn because his urine is destroying it – I feel it’s a harassment campaign against me because I am the most notifiable person with a dog in the block of flats.” Mark now fears he could lose his home because his landlady has handed the factoring of the flat over to the letting agents because she was contacted so much by his neighbours. He says the constant complaints are causing him stress which is upsetting Rebus, and feels there is nothing more he can do other than leave or contact police. Mark added: “I have contacted Citizens Advice and the Equality and Human Rights Commission who have said it is discrimination and as it is a civil matter I have to take it up with the police as a hate crime.

“But I feel that is extreme and would mean getting a harassment order and I don’t really want to do that. I just wanted to move back to my home town as I know the area well from my child hood.

“I have tried to bend over backwards to appease them but nothing is working, I have tried to help but there is only so much I can do. I shouldn’t have to re-turf the grass when my dog isn’t the only one who is using it.” A spokeswoman for Guide Dogs Scotland said: “As part of their training, guide dog owners are advised on the most suitable ways for toileting their dogs that will meet the needs of the owner, the guide dog and the local community.

“This is an ongoing matter, with which we are offering guidance, and we are therefore unable to make further comment.” Mark’s neighbours were unavailable for comment.