Campaign to help halt dog fouling

Campaign to help halt dog fouling

21 August 2024

PLANS to roll out a new campaign to tackle the district’s dog fouling problem will be outlined this evening.

Newry, Mourne and Down Council has lined up a series of new initiatives and is working alongside Keep NI Beautiful to address an issue which blights every corner of the district.

New figures have revealed that the local authority received 355 complaints about dog fouling over an 18-month period between January last year and last month, with the highest recorded monthly figure of 34 being recorded in February this year.

The majority of dog owners clean up after their pets but there are a hardcore who don’t and council officials are acutely aware that not everyone lodges a complaint about dog fouling incidents they witness.

Complaints can be lodged by telephone or email but concerned residents may soon be able to report dog fouling via a new smartphone app which one local authority is currently using.

A new online reporting system for residents and councillors across the district to lodge dog fouling complaints is being developed in tandem with exploring other digital options to allow people to make complaints.

The issue will be discussed at tonight’s meeting of the local authority’s Sustainability and Environment Committee following a motion tabled by Rowallane councillor Tierna Howie.

It urges the organisation to “provide long term solutions around enforcement and communication campaigns”.

Additionally, the motion calls on the council to use data provided by the public and councillors to identify hotspots which can be targeted by enforcement officers and also encourage dog owners to be more aware of their responsibilities.

Identify

It is hoped that the data gathering will also help identify areas where additional bins for dog waste are required.

Council officials say all dog fouling complaints are investigated and once enforcement officers become aware of multiple complaints in the same area, enforcement patrols are undertaken.

They say further analysis of complaints can be undertaken to identify hotspots which can inform where education and enforcement focus can be undertaken.

It will also be confirmed tonight that the local authority’s district cleansing team have carried out a mapping exercise of litter bin provision across the district and a further exercise can be taken of identified hotspots or problem areas to see if more bins are required.

Committee members will be told that officers are working in partnership with Keep NI Beautiful on a new dog fouling campaign which will be launched in the autumn, while stencils have been used to spray messages on footpaths reminding dog owners to clean up after their pets and the potential fines they face if they do not.

Additional stencils have also been purchased.