COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF TALLAGHT AREA COMMITTEE (1)
Monday, March 25, 2013
QUESTION NO.4
QUESTION: Councillor B. Lawlor
"To ask the Manager to arrange that the dog warden service has a more visible presence in the Firhouse / Ballycullen area of Tallaght South Ward. Following an upsurge in dog ownership in the area, that signs could be put up in relation to the issue of cleaning up after dogs, the wearing of muzzles, the necessity of having dogs on leads etc. Also could the dog warden service be more proactive in the enforcement of the law in this regard?"
REPLY:
It is a legal requirement under the Control of Dogs Act, 1986, that a dog must be under effectual control at all times when outside of the premises of the owner/person in charge of the dog. Moreover, the following types of dogs must be muzzled at all times when out in public: American Pit Bull Terrier, Bull Mastiff, Doberman Pinscher, English Bull Terrier, German Shepherd, Japanese Akita, Japanese Tosa, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Rottweiler, Staffordshire Bull Terrier or a crossbreed of any of these dogs. These dogs must also be led by a person over the age of 16 and kept on a strong chain or lead not longer than 2 metres.
The Council’s two Dog Wardens are responsible for the enforcement of the Control of Dogs Act countywide; in 20l2 a total of 935 fines issued, in respect of which, 68 fines related to failure to have a dog under effectual control. However, the Council experiences difficulty in enforcing the section of the act relating to dog fouling as it requires witnesses that are willing to come forward and go to court if necessary, to give evidence. It can also be difficult for the Dog/Litter Warden to "identify" the offender as they are reluctant to give their name and address. Residents groups and/or individuals are urged to assist the Litter Wardens and Dog Wardens in this regard. The litter warden for the Firhouse/Ballycullen area of Tallaght South Ward has been informed of the issue raised.
The Council's Environmental Services Department has responsibility for the provision of litter collection and disposal throughout the county. Disposal facilities are provided through the network of 600 on-street and 67 park litter bins that are in place. Details of SDCC's bin cleansing schedules will shortly be posted to the Council's Daily Maintenance Schedule available on SDCC homepage www.sdcc.ie The Council has considered the provision of the suggested "dog fouling bins" however these bins are not considered an efficient means of collecting litter when the material can be disposed of through the normal litter bins along with other litter types. Any locations that pose particular difficulties in relation to any types of litter should be referred to the Environment Department for assessment for additional bins.
Currently, there are 9,750 Dog Licences in force throughout the county.
In addition to disposal and collection of litter materials, the Council is engaged in a number of awareness campaigns aimed at the prevention and proper disposal of litter and dog-fouling in particular. This is in line with the overall aim of the Litter Management Plan which is to make South Dublin County a litter free County with the support, co-operation and involvement of the local authority, businesses, communities and individuals.
The Responsible Dog Ownership Programme
The Responsible Dog Ownership programme has been established by the Council to address the issue of dog fouling.
The Responsible Dog Ownership programme includes
· pop-up stand
· Poop Scoops
· Leaflets
These are available on loan to schools, community centres, businesses and other venues to display. The 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.
All this information is available on www.sdcc.ie . Click here to see images of the Dog Ownership pop-up, Leaflets and Poop Scoops.
Anti Dog Fouling Stencil programme
In 2011 a programme was anti-dog fouling stencilling was applied to all Regional Parks throughout the County. This initiative was welcomed by members of the public. The programme is to be extended in the spring 2013 to neighbourhood and local parks. Purpose of the stencilling programme is to highlight the issue of dog fouling and focus on dog owner responsiblity.
In addition a Green Dog Walking campaign will be launched in late March to highlight the issue of dog fouling and responsible dog ownership. This is a community focused initative and will be rolled out through the Social Credits system.