COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

south dublin county council crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, September 10, 2012

QUESTION NO. 7

QUESTION: Councillor J. Hannon

To ask the Manager to outline current practice in relation to preventing dog litter in public parks and streets, with particular reference to signage, the provision of dedicated bins and enforcement, and given that the stencil signs in some areas are virtually obliterated?

REPLY:

Section 22 of the Litter Pollution Act, 1997, as amended, legally obliges dog owners to clean up after their dogs if they foul in public places. Any person in charge of a dog who does not clean up after their dog is liable to receive an on the spot fine of €150. This notice may be issued by the litter warden or a dog warden within the meaning of the Control of Dogs Act, 1996. Failure to pay this fine can result in prosecution with a maximum fine of €3,000 if convicted. The Council's Litter Warden Service is responsible for enforcement of the Litter Pollution Act.  Litter Wardens also provide biodegradable poop scoops. Members of the public can contact the Litter Warden on 01 4149000 to report dog owners that do not clean up after their pets.

Section 4 of SDCC 20ll Bye-laws for Parks and Open Spaces provides

"4.1.3    If a dog, other than a guide dog, defecates in the Park, the person in charge of the dog shall remove the faeces from the ground and dispose of in a proper manner or other receptacle which may be designated for the purpose."  

Enforcement of these Bye-laws is the responsiblity of the Park Ranger Service.

Under objective 1 of the Litter Management Plan (Develop programmes on the basis of targeting the various litter categories, blackspots and illegal means of disposing of waste/refuse), the Council aims to develop a programme to deal with specific litter types of which Dog Fouling is specifically mentioned.

An anti dog-fouling programme has already been established by the Council which consists of a number of strands that combine to address the issue of dog fouling. The Council has a Responsible Dog Ownership pop-up stand which is available on loan to schools, community centres, businesses and other venues to display. The Responsible Dog Ownership pop-up stand is aimed at the general public and will raise awareness about the importance of being a responsible dog owner and has lots of useful information on how to be a better dog owner including:  Dog Fouling, Noise Pollution, Dog Licences, Identification of Dogs, Dog Control, Stray Dogs, Unwanted Dogs, Rehoming a Dog, South Dublin County Council Dog Pound.

Responsible Dog Ownership Leaflets and Poop Scoops are also available for distribution. All this information is currently on www.sdcc.ie and available to the public. Click here to see images of the Dog Ownership pop-up, Leaflets and Poop Scoops.   In addition a pilot anti dog-fouling enforcement stenciling initiative has begun in the parks around the County. It is true that some of these stencils have now faded and these are being replaced at present with a weather/wear resistant substance. 

SDCC does not provide seperate bins for the disposal of dog waste;  dog owners / persons in charge of the dog are required to remove dog litter and dispose of it in a suitable sanitary manner.