The number of complaints lodged to Dublin City Council about dog fouling has risen 27% in the past 12 months.
The council has launched the second part of their campaign to discourage dog-fouling, which includes a digital, radio and video campaign.
Aptly titled ‘Dog Poo, It’s Everybody’s Business‘, the second part of the anti-dog fouling campaign includes the introduction of speakers to “dog poo black spots”, which the council says will encourage dog owners to pick up after their pet.
Head of advocacy at the NCBI – ‘Working For People with Sight Loss’, June Tinsley said: ”There’s been a low number of fines and we feel that morem should be done in this area.”
But the council’s Litter Prevention Officer Margaret Lillis says they tried issuing more fines several years ago – but it didn’t work; ”I’m not so sure it solves a problem. The problem is to get people to change their behaviour.”
A recent Behaviour & Attitudes for Dogs Trust survey revealed that 96% of dog owners claimed they do pick up after their dog including these dog walkers in Marley Park.
”Its happened once or twice that people would stop you and say have you got a bag, ‘cos they haven’t got one, and I’d hope that if I don’t have one that I could ask.”
Another person said ”There’s bins around but you’ve got bags, you’ve bags everywhere, you know so…. it’s very inexpensive.”
People who leave dog waste behind them are subject to a €150 fine under the Litter Pollution Act.
It’s estimated that a single gram of dog waste can contain 23 million faecal coliform bacteria, which are known to cause cramps, diarrhoea, intestinal illness, and serious kidney disorders in humans. Dog poo can also contain nasty bacteria such as E-coli and parasites like round worm, the larvae of which can cause loss of vision.
Is Dog fouling a problem in your area?
Dog Poo, It’s Everybody’s Business
Deal with your dog’s waste so no one else has to.#BagitBinit #Dublin pic.twitter.com/akzFFTY5Sx— Dublin City Council (@DubCityCouncil) April 7, 2021
