No fines issued in Leitrim for dog fouling in 2024 despite worsening problem

No fines were issued by Leitrim County Council in 2024 for dog fouling, Ballinamore Municipal District has heard.

No fines have been issued so far this year either.

This comes at a time of growing calls across Leitrim’s municipal districts for greater efforts to tackle dog fouling in public areas.

Cllr Brendan Barry proposed a motion asking whether any fines had been issued last year, and questioned how the Council plans to address the issue.

“We’re going to have to start putting on pressure and fining people to make them be more responsible for their dogs,” Cllr Barry said.

In response, the Council stated that there are 24 dog waste bins across the county. Last year, 668 dog station visits were carried out by Leitrim Animal Welfare and dispensed a total of 39,700 dog waste bags.

“Leitrim County Council will continue to support local community and tidy towns groups in dealing with the ongoing dog fouling issue,” the response concluded.

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Cllr Brendan Barry proposed a motion calling for immediate action on the road at Scoil Bríd Naofa in Ballinamore.

Cllr Barry suggested that leaflets could be posted to people to residents to remind them of relevant laws and to highlight that those who do not comply are eligible to be fined.

He added that additional dog bins alone would not solve the problem, saying, “they’re only good for the people that are being responsible but there aren't enough people doing that.”

Cllr Paddy O’Rourke proposed that the Council revisit the idea of DNA testing to identify dog owners who fail to pick up after their pets on streets, parks, walking trails and housing estates - an idea that was first talked about in 2021.

“It’s a major issue, particularly for people who are wheelchair bound if they’re pushing themselves along and come into contact with dog waste, it’s grossly unhealthy,” Cllr O’Rourke said.

Separately, Cllr Enda McGloin suggested a social media campaign to raise public awareness about dog owners' responsibilities.

“It is an epidemic in the county in some places,” he said.

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