COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Tuesday, February 11, 2020
QUESTION NO. 6
QUESTION: Councillor L. Kinsella-Colman
To ask the Chief Executive to produce a report on how many successful prosecutions has the Dog Wardens had versus the number of complaints logged and to make a statement on the dogs wardens work programme, what parks are covered by it, how the park rangers can assist the dog wardens and what funding is available for the dog wardens work programme?
REPLY:
South Dublin County Council currently employs two full time Dog Wardens within the administrative area.
The Dog Warden's role is the enforcement of the Control of Dogs Act 1986 as amended. This includes:
- responding to complaints relating to dogs not under effectual control and/or dangerous dogs
- carrying out of licence checks and the initiation of enforcement proceedings where possible
- seizure and collection of unwanted/stray dogs and removal to the Dog Pound.
The Dog Wardens can be contacted on 01 414 9000.
The following statistics reflect activity in respect of the Control of Dogs in the South Dublin Administrative Area for 2018 and 2019:
|
|
2018 |
2019 |
|
Total of Live Licences |
8627 |
8267 |
|
No. of 10-day Notices |
670 |
780 |
|
No. of Dog Fines Issued |
297 |
73 |
|
No. Fines Paid |
14 |
8 |
|
No. of Prosecutions |
27 |
2 |
|
No. of Convictions |
7 |
1 |
|
No. of Dogs in the Pound |
|
|
|
at Year beginning |
61 |
16 |
|
Impounded during Year |
473 |
377 |
|
· Stray |
363 |
289 |
|
· Surrendered |
106 |
79 |
|
· Seized |
4 |
9 |
|
· Reclaimed by owner |
134 |
93 |
|
· Rehomed |
329 |
264 |
|
· Euthanised |
52 |
21 |
|
· Died Naturally |
3 |
2 |
|
at Year end |
16 |
13 |
The sum of €457,700.00 is provided in the 2020 adopted annual budget for expenditure in respect of Control of Dogs activities.
The Bye-Laws for Parks and Open Spaces 2011 came into force on the 1st August 2011 and are for the use, operation, protection, regulation and management of Parks and Open Spaces owned, controlled and managed by, or in the charge of South Dublin County Council.
Section 4 of the Bye-Laws deals specifically with the control of dogs, while Section 8 and 9 deal with enforcement, penalties and fixed payment notices in relation to the contravention of any of the provisions of the Bye-Laws.
Park Rangers as employees of the Council are authorised to enforce the SDCC Bye-laws. In the event that a member or members of the public fails to co-operate with an instruction or direction of a Park Ranger, the next step, depending on the severity of the breach of the Bye-laws is to seek the assistance of An Garda Siochána to enforce the Bye-law. They are empowered to direct the public to comply with the Bye-laws and a frequent activity in this regard is to request members of the public to put dogs on a leash.