Dog wardens across county Cork are encouraging members of the public to be proactive in curbing dog fouling by reporting incidents to Cork County Council so they can issue fines to perpetrating dog owners.
Speaking to The Avondhu this week, dog warden Nuala McNamara stressed the need for co-operation between the public and the council in addressing the growing problem of dog fouling.
“I think a lot of people don’t realise they can be proactive in tackling dog fouling. For us it’s very hard to actually see it happening so we also rely on help from the public,” she said. To report an incident of dog fouling, members of the public can contact the veterinary section within Cork County Council with the necessary details for a dog warden to act.
“We need a name, an address and a contact number for the person making the complaint. We also need to name and address of the dog owner in question, along with the date and time of the offence, as well as the location of the offence. A relevant photo is also helpful. A dog warden can then issue a fine,” Ms McNamara said.
Dog fouling signs are available, free of charge, to local communities at the request of a residents’ association. Ms McNamara credited the work of local communities such as Castlelyons, who have take an active role in tackling the problem of dog fouling within their village by making available dog waste bags along popular walking paths.
“It’s marvellous to see how they’ve approached this. They’re a very proactive community and hopefully their actions will inspire more communities to follow suit.”
To contact Cork County Council with a complaint, write to Veterinary Section, Cork County Council, Floor 2, County Hall, Cork, email vets@corkcoco.ie or call 021- 4285405. Alternatively, contact Nuala on 087-7943886.
