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Those anti- dog poo messages on beaches in Co Clare are working

‘Dog fouling’ is down 50%.

IF YOU TAKE your dog for a walk at two Co Clare beaches don’t be surprised if you hear a voice in your ear telling you to make sure you pooch doesn’t poo on the sand.

No seriously, last month Clare County Council installed an audio system at beaches in Kilkee and Lahinch that broadcast some anti-dog poo messages like:

“Respect the Banner and keep Lahinch clean”, “Bin your litter or take it home” and “Always pick up after your dog and enjoy your walk.”

Before you poo poo the idea, listen to the vice-chair of the council Tony O’Brien who says that the idea seems to be working.

“The devices have been installed since 16 July and early figures suggest that they are already helping to change people’s behaviour. There has been a 50% reduction in dog fouling in Kilkee, while incidences of dog fouling have more than halved in Lahinch,” he reports.

“It is becoming socially unacceptable for people to litter or to leave dog foul on the footpath, and people want to lend their support to such devices.”

Clare County Council take the lead in providing up to date dog stats and says that there were 1,472 dogs at Lahinch beach in just one week last month. Kilkee also proves popular with 1,008 dogs in the same period.

But the council digs even deeper, measuring peak times for dog walking in ‘dogs per hour’. Lahinch seems to get the most dog walking action between 7-8pm with 20 dogs per hour.

Kilkee owners like to walk dogs a little earlier with a peak 15 dogs per hour between 3-5pm.

So there, your completely non-official fact of the day, dog walking is measured in ‘dph’, remember it.

Read: The government must do more… to deal with dog poo >

Read: A small town in America have elected a dog as their mayor >

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15 Comments
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    Mute Tom Red
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    Aug 13th 2014, 6:53 PM

    Seen a St Bernard sh*t on a beach once ..
    U’d have needed a JCB to lift what he left….

    153
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    Mute Antonov Merinov
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    Aug 13th 2014, 7:04 PM

    NO SHIT❗️

    53
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    Mute Kate Ellen Egan
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    Aug 13th 2014, 8:07 PM

    They need those speaker things on the streets and park here ….badly….but they’d be laughed at by the macho pit bull owners

    31
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    Mute paul
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    Aug 13th 2014, 6:52 PM

    Wow that’s impressive. I put a similar sign in my back garden but my dog totally ignores it.

    139
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    Mute William Nunan
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    Aug 13th 2014, 7:08 PM

    Reminds me a little of the HSE recorded message advising all people on hospital grounds that this is a no smoking area.
    The dogs in Clare appear to heed the message, unlike the HSE broadcast.
    Bright dogs!!

    60
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    Mute Art Vandelay
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    Aug 13th 2014, 7:20 PM

    Anything available in the cat version? “Please refrain from leaving a scuttery one in my bed”, “try to be less selfish once in awhile” and “stop leaving dead bodies on my door step” for starters.

    49
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    Mute Celticspirit321
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    Aug 13th 2014, 6:55 PM

    If K9 poop get into your eye; bye bye eyesight

    39
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    Mute Malachi Shanks
    Favourite Malachi Shanks
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    Aug 13th 2014, 10:12 PM

    That must some job going around counting the shites

    25
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    Mute Paddy Hannigan
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    Aug 13th 2014, 10:47 PM

    Someone on Jobspan .*Pun intended*

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    Mute IrishGravyTrain
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    Aug 13th 2014, 7:26 PM

    Can’t you just bury in the sand or throw it into the sea. Probably more hygenic then having a lot of shite stockpiled in a bin.

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    Mute DamoDeMan
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    Aug 13th 2014, 7:42 PM

    Where do you think they empty the bins?

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    Mute John Lonergan
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    Aug 14th 2014, 9:38 AM

    I renamed my WiFi network at home ‘your dogs shit on my grass’ I have only seen one dog poo on the front lawn since late June. Before this I was scooping up at least one per day. I used to bring it to the neighbours doors and give it back to them, I guess they just we’re not getting the message. Now, it seems, they are.
    Another thing I’ve noticed is loads of dog poo bags on the side of the footpath or in parks. The owners scoop the poo into a bag and just throw it there, idiots. Do they not realise that young children could potentially pick his up?
    I thinking becoming a volunteer dog poo warden, if there is such a thing, anytime I’m out for a walk and see so done allowing their dog to poo without cleaning it up, I could give them an on the spot fine because telling them as a regular citizen does not work it seems.

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    Mute Amanda Duggan
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    Aug 13th 2014, 7:53 PM

    Lots of anally retentive dogs going around that beach. Shamed into keeping in till they get home.

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    Mute paul
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    Aug 13th 2014, 6:55 PM

    Wow that’s impressive. I put a similar sign in my back garden but my dog totally ignores it, I think he just doesn’t understand it, it’s not that he’s trying to upset me or anything

    9
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    Mute John Lonergan
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    Aug 14th 2014, 9:42 AM

    I’ve renamed my wifi network at home ‘your dogs shit on my grass’ since late June I have only noticed one dog poo. Before this I was scooping up at least one per day and delivering it back to the dog owners houses, they were not getting the message thus way, but now, it seems, they are.

    1
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