Latest news with #dogfouling
BreakingNews.ie
a day ago
- Sport
- BreakingNews.ie
Fed up Donegal GAA club installs CCTV to catch dogs pooping on their pitches
A Donegal GAA club are so fed up with dogs fouling their pitch that they have installed CCTV to catch them in the act. Moville GAA Club say they are tired of dogs and their owners using their facilities as toilets. Advertisement With more than 200 people playing and training on the pitch, players were constantly stepping in the mess left behind by dogs. Now the GAA club have decided to install cameras to catch the four legged offenders (and their owners!) in the act. The club said they simply want to keep the facilities "clean and safe" for adults and children alike. A spokesperson for the Inishowen club said "We've had a persistent issue with dog fouling on the pitch in recent weeks. "And now we have resorted to CCTV to resolve it. So please be reminded that no dogs are permitted onto the pitch or Astro under ANY circumstances. "With well over 200 people a week playing and training on the pitch we need to keep things clean and safe for everyone."
BBC News
2 days ago
- BBC News
Dog foul fines top £50k in Northern Ireland as DNA database explored
Dog owners in Northern Ireland have paid more than £50,000 in fines over the last five years for not cleaning up their pet's obtained by BBC News NI show Northern Ireland's eleven councils recorded almost 1,000 dog fouling related incidents between 2020 and people were taken to court - and fined a total of £2,715 - for not paying fines handed out by councils in those the same five-year period, councils in Northern Ireland received more than 14,000 complaints about dog fouling from members of the public. The figures come as one local authority - Mid Ulster District Council - is exploring how a DNA database could be used to trace incidences of dog fouling back to an individual dog and its a councillor from the Mid Ulster area has spoken out after he repeatedly found dog poo on his father's grave in Cookstown. 'Ongoing problem in cemetery' "It was, to be honest, disgusting, it was disappointing," Ulster Unionist councillor Trevor Wilson told BBC News NI."Luckily there was the guys who do the graves and tidy up in the cemetery they were about and they came along and lifted it for me."Dog fouling, he added, was "an ongoing problem here and not only in this cemetery but anywhere where there are people"."It's a very small number of people that give the rest of dog walkers a bad name," he said, adding that wardens do a difficult job and can not operate "24/7".He added: "I would just appeal to dog owners just to think about other people and to be responsible for their own dogs." In April, Mid Ulster Council's development committee passed a motion to explore introducing a DNA database for all registered dogs in the district, which would use a DNA sample taken from dogs when they are a move, Mr Wilson said, could be both difficult and overly bureaucratic to implement. But Sinn Féin councillor Dominic Molloy, who brought the idea before council, wants to see Mid Ulster work with other local authorities to explore how such a move could be cost effective and rolled out across Northern Ireland."It is worth a try," Molloy told BBC News NI."Take the cost of what could be a child's health… we know all the risks that are involved with dog foul," he said. Health risks of dog poo Humans can catch toxocariasis from dog faeces. It is a potentially lethal disease which can also cause blindness.A Mid Ulster Council spokeswoman said dog owners needed to be aware of the risks of not cleaning up after their pet."It is important that we develop and promote a culture of responsible dog ownership and we are asking all dog owners to help us keep the cemeteries, parks, and open spaces in the Mid Ulster area clean and welcoming for all users," she said. Eric Randall, chief executive of environmental charity Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, said dog fouling was a "serious problem".The figures, he said, were "an indication that councils are clearly interested in trying to tackle the problem".He said enforcement was one of two key areas in addressing the issue. The other area, he said, was education."I think if people associated that every time they let their dog foul and leave it there that could result in a child becoming blind," he said. The latest figures show councils pursued a total of 971 dog fouling cases between 2020 and and North Down Borough Council recorded the highest number and said it was "working hard to promote responsible dog ownership and encourage people to clean up after their pets". A Derry and Strabane council spokeswoman said enforcement was only one part of the council's wider approach to said fixed penalty notices (FPN) were only issued when council officers have sufficient evidence. What are the penalties? In Northern Ireland, the fines that can be imposed on dog owners standard fine is £80, but that has increased in recent years in a number of council areas, including in Causeway Coast and Glens and Ards and North Down where fines of £200 can be handed out. Dog owner Mandy Cavlin, from County Tyrone, said people needed to accept the responsibility that comes with pet ownership."A responsible dog owner will pick up their own dog's poo," she said, adding it takes just "seconds to pick up after your dog".Often, she said, she would not only pick up after her dog but also other dogs' mess when out it proves to be cost effective, she added, the introduction of a dog DNA database in the area sounded like a "great idea".
BBC News
03-08-2025
- General
- BBC News
Bedford Borough Council applies dog controls to more areas
A council has applied restrictions on dogs to more locations because of worries about fouling and "nuisance behaviour".Bedford Borough Council has approved an expanded Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO), which sets out controls ranging from complete bans to where dogs have to be kept on locations covered by the PSPO include a swan nesting area at The Embankment, where leads must now be to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the authority said the measures addressed persistent anti-social behaviour, including dog fouling, which a report said had a "detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in the locality". 'Health risks' The PSPO came into force on 27 July. It extended dog bans to 30 additional play areas, sport pitches, and green included Biddenham, Shortstown, Roxton, and well as The Embankment area, dogs must now be on leads on the playing field in the village of Cotton End and the recreation ground in council report explaining the changes recognised the vast majority of dog owners were it added: "Residents are concerned about dog fouling in particular and are worried about the amount of dog fouling, not just because of the mess it causes, but because it can also be linked to health risks, especially with children who play in the parks and open spaces."Since 2019, the council said it had received 968 complaints related to dog fouling, but only about 90 fixed penalty notices had been additional restrictions followed requests from parish councils and also responses to a public consultation held in April. About 79 per cent of respondents backed the renewal of the PSPO and 77 per cent supported adding new for assistance dogs and their handlers remain. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Village poo bag scheme aims to cut dog waste
A Lincolnshire village has started a Poo Bag Partnership which aims to encourage people pick up their dog's waste. Community groups and businesses in Great Coates will be handing out waste bags to dog walkers. Between 2023 and 2024, more than 280 Fixed Penalty Notices were issued for dog fouling related offences, North East Lincolnshire Council said Councillor Ron Shepherd said the authority hoped to expand the scheme. "We're glad to be building these partnerships across all areas of North East Lincolnshire," he said. "We appreciate the majority of dog owners are responsible, but it is the minority that need to understand that they have a duty of care as a pet owner. "I urge as many businesses, organisations and charities to become a Poo Bag Partner and help us to stop this issue from blighting our streets." Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Click here, to download the BBC News app from the App Store for iPhone and iPad. Click here, to download the BBC News app from Google Play for Android devices. Dog poo rules 'tricky' to police, say officers Doorbell footage plea in dog fouling crackdown North East Lincolnshire Council
BBC News
13-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Lincolnshire village poo bag scheme aims to cut dog waste
A Lincolnshire village has started a Poo Bag Partnership which aims to encourage people pick up their dog's groups and businesses in Great Coates will be handing out waste bags to dog 2023 and 2024, more than 280 Fixed Penalty Notices were issued for dog fouling related offences, North East Lincolnshire Council saidCouncillor Ron Shepherd said the authority hoped to expand the scheme. "We're glad to be building these partnerships across all areas of North East Lincolnshire," he said."We appreciate the majority of dog owners are responsible, but it is the minority that need to understand that they have a duty of care as a pet owner."I urge as many businesses, organisations and charities to become a Poo Bag Partner and help us to stop this issue from blighting our streets."Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Click here, to download the BBC News app from the App Store for iPhone and here, to download the BBC News app from Google Play for Android devices.
