Going undercover

Litter wardens will be going undercover to tackle the issue of dog poop on Leeside!

This came to light during a meeting of Cork City Council after Green Party Cllr Colette Finn asked what measure the council was taking out to “encourage a culture of compliance in relation to the proper removal of dog excrement by people who own dogs, particularly with reference to the South West Ward?”

David Joyce, Director of Services Roads & Environment Operations Directorate, told Cllr Finn that Cork City Council takes the issue dog fouling very seriously and has established a Dog Fouling Committee to help tackle the anti-social behaviour of dog fouling.

He said: “In the coming weeks the Litter Warden Service will be carrying out undercover, out of hours enforcement activities to tackle the problem of dog fouling.”

Earlier this year the Lord Mayor and the Chair of the Dog Fouling Committee jointly launched an enhanced Anti-Dog Fouling Awareness Campaign which focuses on encouragement, education and enforcement to help bring about a change in both the mindset and behaviour of the minority of irresponsible dog owners who allow their dogs to foul and who fail to clean up after them.

This year’s campaign included messaging across all of the local radio stations together with advertising across the city’s bus shelter network promoting responsible dog ownership. One of the messages promoted as part of this campaign included asking the public to pause for thought and to bring a bag with them to clean up after their dog.

Mr Joyce added: “It is important that the message of responsible dog ownership is also impressed upon the next generation of dog owners and the Lord Mayor wrote to every primary school in the city inviting them to participate in this year’s primary schools anti dog fouling poster competition.

“There has been a great response from the schools and it has generated a huge amount of discussion and awareness within the school community which in turn has been brought into the homes of the pupils.”

He concluded: “The two pilot dog walking routes introduced in 2019 have proved to be very successful and consideration will be given to replicating this in other of the city if funding for same can be sourced. It is hoped that through these activities a culture of respect and personal responsibility can be brought about to tackle the issue of dog fouling.”