Cork told to get its sh*t together!

Cork City Council has encouraged members of the public to 'Get Your Sh*t Together' as part of a campaign asking dog owners to clean up after their pets.

The campaign aims to stimulate debate about the need for more dog owners to pick up their dog’s waste, to ensure Cork is a clean and welcoming place for all.

New dog-walking routes will be developed as part of the campaign to highlight where bins are available for the disposal of dog waste.

Free dog poo bags will also be available from City Hall Monday to Friday between 10am and 4pm.

A spokesperson for Cork City Council said that dog fouling is a “serious public nuisance and a health risk”.

“Securing a prosecution against dog-owners for the offence of dog fouling is very difficult. Public support and behavioural change are required.

“The aim of this campaign and its hard-hitting slogan is not to shock - it is to grab peoples’ attention to trigger the required change, and to stimulate more debate about responsible dog ownership,” they said.

The campaign will be delivered across a range of platforms, including print and digital advertising, bus shelters, and new signage in city suburbs and parks.

Over the next few weeks, the campaign will highlight the risks of not cleaning up after dogs and how this behaviour disproportionately affects vulnerable groups, including young children, older people, visually-impaired people, and wheelchair users.

The campaign was approved by Cork City Council’s Dog Fouling Committee and follows the success of the council’s anti-dog fouling school’s art competition, which encouraged children to create artwork promoting responsible dog ownership.

Winners from nine schools were selected, and their artwork was displayed outside their schools.

The committee’s chairperson, Cllr Joe Kavanagh (Fine Gael) said that the campaign aims to capture the attention of dog owners across the city and beyond, “sending a clear and strong message about taking responsibility for dog ownership and cleaning up after your dog”.

“We hope that the consistent visibility of this message will raise awareness among dog owners of the critical importance of picking up after their dogs,” he said.