Audible dog poo alarms to be installed in Cork City

You heard it here first — audible dog poo alarms are to be installed in Cork City as part of a new anti-dog fouling pilot project.

City officials have confirmed that two audio messaging devices will be installed this month at The Marina, on the south bank of the River Lee, and in Colmcille Park in Mayfield on the north side of the city.

The devices, which will be triggered when a person passes by, will play an audio message reminding dog owners to clean up after their animals.

The pilot project will be monitored for six months to monitor its effectiveness, the city’s head of environment and recreation, Jim O’Donovan said.

He was responding to questions from Fianna Fáil councillor Ken O’Flynn who said a lot more needs to be done to tackle the scourge of dog fouling.

Figures released to Mr O’Flynn show that the number of dog licences issued in the city have almost trebled in the last seven years.

However, despite the increase, only five on-the-spot fines for dog fouling — issued under Section 22 of the Litter Pollution Act — have been issued in that time, with just three offenders paying up.

Not a single fine for dog fouling has been issued in the city area since 2013.

The figures show that, in 2008, a total of 1,124 dog licences were issued. This dropped to just 979 in 2009, but the figure has been rising steadily since, with almost 3,340 dog licences issued in Cork city 2014.

The figures for on-the-spot fines shows that none were issued in 2008, and just two were issued in 2009. Of those, one was paid and the other was cancelled because it showed the wrong date.

On-the-spot fines were not issued again until 2013 when three were handed out. Two were paid and one was cancelled because the alleged offence occurred in the county council’s administrative area.

Mr O’Donovan said that several anti dog-fouling initiatives have been conducted in the city in recent years, including:

• The issuing of information leaflets on responsible dog ownership, and the distribution of free dog faeces collection bags to the holders of valid dog licences;
• The installation of ‘no dog fouling’ signs on walkways, paths, public parks and open spaces;
• The commissioning of a Sminky Shorts information animation, as well as press, radio, and cinema advertisments.

Mr O’Donovan said the council has supported anti- dog fouling initiatives mounted by residents’ groups in Blackrock and Turner’s Cross.

“We will support other local communities who look to tackle the issue,” he said.

However, Mr O’Flynn said the figures demonstrate that not enough is being done on the issue.

“We have just one dog warden, who is doing a great job, but we need at least six wardens to tackle the issue from all sides,” said Mr O’Flynn. “It has to be policed, and we need to adopt a zero tolerance attitude.

“Citizens need to be made aware of the penalties, and we need to impose hefty fines to discourage dog owners from allowing their dogs defecate on our streets and in our parks, and to leave the mess behind.”

Mr O’Flynn said that he and some neighbours tackled the issue head-on in his own estate recently after a man from a neighbouring estate repeatedly brought his dog in to their green area and let the animal defecate on the grass before heading home.

Over the course of two weeks, Mr O’Flynn and some neighbours collected the faeces in three plastic shopping bags, and brought them back to the man’s house, and asked him to stop. The man has not brought his dog in to their estate since.