Educating and influencing the behaviour of dog owners regarding dog fouling will be to the fore as Galway County Council launch the new Anti-Dog Fouling Campaign ‘If They Poop, You Scoop!’. The campaign is set to firmly emphasise that dog fouling is the responsibility of the dog owner/walker and that they must clean up after their dog.
The campaign will attempt to address a range of issues surrounding dog fouling, from its effect on the public who use our streets, parks and beaches, to the attitudes of dog owners in cleaning up after them, from a public health and civic pride perspective.
The campaign will be launched at Renville Park, Oranmore tomorrow Friday August 6. An awareness stand will be in situ for the launch on this date and manned by Awareness Officers and Wardens with information advising dog owners of their responsibilities and to acknowledge those dog owners who are taking responsibility for their dogs.
The campaign will be rolled out subsequently across the county over the following 4 weeks with launches at the locations below.
August 6 - Renville Park
August 13 - Athenry
August 14 - Ballinasloe
August 20 - An Spidéal
August 27 - Tuam, Palace Grounds
Additional signage and temporary stencilling will be utilised at locations throughout the county to get the message across to all dog owners.
Dog Fouling is a health hazard and spoils walkways and amenities for everyone from children to wheelchair users, to the elderly and parents with buggies. Although most dog owners do clean up after their dogs, there are still a number of people who feel it is unhygienic or not something they should have to do.
However dog fouling is against the law and poses a real health hazard to leave it where it lies – on pavements, in parks and playgrounds, cliffs and coastal areas or even on the beach. Dog owners should be aware that the bagged waste can be disposed of in any public bin. If there is no public bin in the vicinity of their walk it should be brought home and disposed of in a suitable sanitary manner.
Muttmitt dog waste bag dispenser units are situated in towns, villages and amenity areas across the county so please feel free to use this service. Remember of if you are a dog owner, it is your responsibility to clean up after your dog and those who fail to do so can face an on-the-spot fine of €150 or a maximum fine of €4,000 in court.
As part of the campaign our community wardens will be on the patrol in the mornings, evenings and weekends at problem areas identified throughout the county.
Further information is available from Aidan Cunningham, Environment Section, Galway County Council on 091-509510 or at [email protected] or www.galway.ie
