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A COUNCILLOR HAS called for the introduction of DNA testing of dog poo nationwide as part of efforts to reduce dog fouling in public spaces.
John Hurley of the Social Democrats told The Journal he is critical of existing laws around fouling, saying local authorities often lack the necessary resources to prosecute offenders.
“The legislation to deal with dog fouling is decided on by central government, but the policing of it is left to local authorities,” the Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown councillor said.
The local authorities can’t possibly police it, he said, because they don’t have enough dog wardens on patrol.
He added: “The only way to prosecute somebody is to have an eyewitness testify before court, identifying the owner of the dog.”
Hurley is calling on the Minister for Agriculture to establish a DNA database for dogs, similar to one for horses that is managed by Horse Sport Ireland for parentage verification and pedigree recording.
He proposes making it mandatory to submit a dog’s genetic information to be registered against its owner, the same way owners’ details are traceable by microchipping which has been obligatory here since 2016.
Under the Litter Pollution Act 1997, it is not illegal for your dog to foul in a public place, but it is illegal to fail to dispose of the poo.
Fines vary across councils nationally, with Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown currently issuing on-the-spot fines of €150 to offenders.
“The benefits would outweigh the costs,” Hurley said of the tests.
“That’s an expensive process, but the fines should cover the costs of such tests, and once a few people have been made an example of the level of offending should decline.”
Similar testing models have been trialled and implemented in overseas locations, among them the London borough of Barking (no, really) which has seen a reduction in fouling as a result.
Other places include Bezier in France, Taragonna in Spain and the territory of Gibraltar, south of Spain, which Hurley says have seen fouling reduce by as much as half.
Hurley highlights the inconveniences faced by members of the public stemming from fouling.
“It’s a real health issue, and actually a huge thing for people with disabilities,” he said.
“People with wheelchairs go through dog poo then they get it on their hands.
“You have kids that get it maybe from the wheels of buggies, or they’re playing in a park, and they just pick it up.”
Hurley says it’s the right time to explore the idea again, in spite of managment at neighbouring Dublin City Council dismissing a similar plan as too complicated back in 2023.
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What about the rampant dumping of garbage in the countryside? Ever since the price hikes in bin collections it’s increased dramatically…
DLRCC could also, and I know this is a wild, far-out idea, install more bins around the area for poo disposal. Genuinely think it would help.
@Graham Bailey: there are pooh bins along the Royal canal greenway, people scoop the poop, put in a bag then hang it on bushes.
@Graham Bailey: honestly with those willfully leaving their pet’s stuff behind, I don’t think more bins will make a difference. They would still not pick it up and dispose of it properly.
On my street some of the neighbours let the dog out in the morning to s### which is great cos the dogs generally wander up into people who haven’t got dogs to s### in they’re gardens. They’ve been confronted on it several times but of course dogs still wander in. Anyone with a dog who doesn’t pick up after it should be severely fined parts of Dublin Streets are filthy with it.
@Paddy C: people like that are filth and need to be taught a hard lesson .
@Paddy C: can you post the address here so appropriate action can be taken?
@Paddy C: just do like me, pick up the poo, after some time, deliver it without a bag in their mailbox.
@Paddy C: what about our neighbour who is good enough to bag poo and then throw it in the hedge of someone’s garden…
We could have our very own CSI – crime s#%t investigation team led by horatio canine
@Steve: A Hurley trying to prevent fouling… I had to paws for a second there, just to make sure I wasn’t going barking mad.
@Steve: You mean CSI
Canine $#1Ť Investigation
@Steve: This could be bad luck if you cur sh!t
@Larry Betts: Larry as always knew you’d be covering this with your quaintedness, beautiful as always!
I would like to see these dog foulers arrested. It’s disgusting walking in with shit on your shoe and takes so long to clean. Give park wardens the power of arrest.
@Lance Taylor: This is an excellent idea. They should be impounded,and made to eat and drink from bowls on all fours. A prosthetic device fitted,and whenever checked upon,they must wag their ‘tail’
@Lance Taylor: next it will be like Boyz in the hood with drive dog fowling
@Lance Taylor: nothing worse than a Rian on your shoe.
“Benefits would outweigh the costs” says the man who wouldn’t be paying for it. These people really should just f off forever.
If you know the offending owner then just collect it and leave it on their front door step during the night or put it in their letterbox. As the song goes Return to Sender.
It will be a difficult task to employ someone to go around gathering the evidence. Although I’m sure the actual job itself would be easy to learn,you’d just pick it up as you go along.
Each community knows the minority of dog owners letting the dogs poo on the roads and not cleaning up. Maybe ask the community and work off that database.
I think an awful lot of dogs simply aren’t “chipped” to begin with
@Buster Lawless: here is the resident troll! Out to start more trouble eh Buster troll?
Where will they do the DNA tests,a lab?
@Larry Betts: yes, led by professor Jack Russel and Dr Shitzu
@Dermot Blaine: And the one in charge of fetching the evidence will be Dr.Michael Golden-Retriever
Waste of money
Now that’s what I call Paw Patrol!
@Dan The Man: Detectives could sniff out suspects by following a lead
Can’t remember the last time I saw dog doodoo on a pavement. People have gotten more responsible but there will always be the odd clown as with everything.
Why not got with the buzz word at the moment. Put a 250% tariff on anyone caught. Its a beautiful thing. Let’s make poop great again.
Far better to invest in a national human DNA database, taken at birth or when coming into the country, would mean virtually all criminals would be identified.
Shoot any dog not on a lead!
@Padraig O’Brien: that’d be good target practice at greyhound track
If its as successful as microchipping it’s a failure from the start, I imagine judging by number of dogs in pounds and rescue approximately 50%of dogs are chipped
@Margaret Deacon: exactly Margaret,could be any number really
Brilliant idea, have called for this for years, and they should also have a three strikes system. Any offenders who are caught three times should have the dog taken off them. Any one who doesn’t pick up not fit to own a dog.
Jayus it’s like a really bad version of CSI, except this would be Crime Shit Investigator.
Greenhills area. Rampant dog poop issue. Cant take a step especially parks and laneways.
Instead it should be law that you are allowed to grab the dog owner by the scruff and rub their face in the dog poo, that might help the situation
It’s the folks who bag it, but then leave it at the base of the tree anyway that confounds me.
Dog Tax. And everyone will pay for the others who don’t clean up. Council will be able yo employ more street cleaners and also more sheriffs to police the fines that are already in place.
If you have a pet dog in public without a bag to pick up after them it’s FINE!
have your say