Cork City Council gives out thousands of free poop disposal bags to combat dog fouling

Molly, a recent rescue from the CSPCA, is the face of Cork City Council's new 'Get Your Sh*t Together' campaign. The council has said that no signage has been placed near schools.

More than 14,000 free poop disposal bags have been distributed in the first week of Cork City Council’s controversially titled dog fouling campaign.

In keeping with its title, ‘Get Your Sh*t Together’, the campaign features an image of a defecating cartoon dog in place of the letter ‘i’. Launched last week, the campaign has generated public debate on the issue of dog fouling, with one city councillor worried it might encourage children to use bad language.

The council has said the initiative, which aims to stimulate debate about the need for more dog owners to pick up their dog’s waste, has received strong public support.

“In one week, we have distributed more than 14,000 free poo bags, and as a result, a further 15,000 bags have now been made available,” a spokesperson said.

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Dog faeces can carry the eggs of toxocara canis, or dog roundworm, and humans exposed to the larvae of these eggs can suffer extreme fever and illness, and severe damage to organs. Contact with infected dog faeces can cause loss of sight, with children especially at risk.

The council said its campaign includes clear health messaging, reframing dog fouling as an issue that impacts the entire community, particularly vulnerable groups such as children, older people, wheelchair users, and those who are visually impaired.

Dog owners who fail to remove dog faeces from a public place can face an on-the-spot litter fine of €150, or a maximum court fine of €3,000. However, in 2023 and 2024, the two latest years for which figures are available, Cork City Council issued no fines for dog fouling.

The council has said that enforcement of legislation is difficult, in that it “requires that the litter warden must actually witness both the dog depositing faeces and the person in control of the dog neglecting to remove the faeces”.

Sign language

Over the past week, the ‘Get Your Sh*t Together’ campaign has featured on signage in public parks citywide, despite the objections of one city council member.

Sinn Féin councillor Michelle Gould has said she believes the language is inappropriate and could act as a bad influence upon young children.

“I just don’t think there’s a need for Cork City Council to lower their standards and have foul language on a poster,” she said.

Perhaps in recognition of Ms Gould’s concerns, the council has noted that no signage has been placed near schools.

Members of the public are invited to collect free faeces disposal bags from Cork City Hall, from 10am to 4pm, Monday to Friday.