A LOCAL councillor has called on the council to do more to crackdown on dog fouling.
Councillor Terence Flanagan was commenting after he obtained statistics from Dublin City Council that state that no fines have been paid by owners for dog fouling over the past three years.
The numbers state that four fines have been issued, one fine has been cancelled on appeal and one case has been struck off.
Presently, there are two prosecutions that have been initiated and it remains to be seen whether any fines will be paid.
“This is an issue constantly raised at the doorsteps,” Councillor Flanagan told Northside People.
“There is unfortunately a small number of dog owners who won’t always clean up after their dogs which then causes problems when young people and those infirm who walk on those footpaths.
“Those owners need to think about the mother pushing a pram or a child on a scooter as they are the ones who step into it.
“This is also a major safety issue as there is a parasite in it which can cause blindness.
“The city council needs to do a lot more to crackdown on dog fouling in the city.”
Councillor Flanagan said he remains hopeful that the message will get through to all that is it unacceptable to not clean up your dog excrement.
“Following a recruitment process held late last year, Dublin City Council will complete the appointment of five Animal Wardens in the coming weeks,” he said.
“These new posts will increase the capacity of Dublin City Council Animal Welfare & Control Services for enforcement of Control of Dogs legislation and hopefully their remit can also include the promotion and enforcement of the litter acts”.
Dublin City Council says it is: “Committed to combating dog fouling through various initiatives, including providing free dog waste bags, promoting responsible ownership through the Green Dog Walker program, and engaging young minds with school poster competitions.
“We encourage all dog owners to be responsible pet parents and pick up after their furry friends, contributing to a cleaner and healthier city for everyone.
“Green Dog Walkers Initiative is a friendly way to change attitudes about dog fouling.
“To take part in the project you take a pledge volunteering to accept a Green Dog Walkers armband/bag dispenser and pledge to take part by cleaning up after your dog, carry extra dog bags to give to other dog walkers and at no time be aggressive or confrontational.
“To be part of the initiative, you are asked to take a pledge volunteering to accept a Green Dog Walkers armband/bag dispenser, to clean-up after your dog, to carry extra dog bags to give to other dog walkers and to at no time be aggressive or confrontational when walking your dog.”