Concern as just two fixed penalties for dog fouling issued last year

Over the past five years, a total of 13 fixed penalties for dog fouling were issued in Derry & Strabane, with two over the course of the year to April 2020.

Over the same period, there were almost 1,500 complaints concerning dogs dealt with in the Council area, with 70 reported attacks on people.

The figures were contained in a report which was due to be discussed in confidential business but was brought into the public domain at the request of Councillors on Derry & Strabane’s Health and Community Committee at their July meeting.

At a previous Council meeting last week, Independent Councillor Sean Carr raised concerns after a distressed 91-year-old woman found dog foul on her son’s grave in the City Cemetery, where dogs are prohibited. Colr. Carr said it was not so long ago dog foul was also found on a baby’s grave. “We would need to do something to stop dogs getting into that cemetery to foul on graves, because it is not acceptable,” he said.

Despite there now being 800 dog foul bins located across the city and district, last year there were 372 dog fouling complaints investigated and hundreds of patrols carried out directly as a result of dog fouling. The new Dog Control Service Work Plan and Enforcement Policy reports state that a lot of work has been and is going on around this issue, including new dog fouling signage and branding on Dog Warden vehicles to promote responsible dog ownership, with further measures including training more personnel who can issue notices and warnings, and dog control orders prohibiting dogs from certain areas or requiring them to be kept on a lead to help reduce indiscriminate fouling now being looked at, as well as additional bins.

The Council report states that the potential use of DNA testing of dog foul to determine ownership of dogs involved in cases has been considered, however: “The cost of testing DNA is in excess of £70 per sample and would be ineffective without a comprehensive database. DNA testing has been used successfully in private gated communities but is deemed impracticable and expensive unless it became a statutory requirement,” Councillors were advised.

Speaking at the Health & Community Committee meeting, DUP Alderman Maurice Devenney said: “Everyone knows round this room dog fouling is a difficult issue, there have been many, many complaints.

“When you look back from 2015, 13 dog fouling notices issued out, would anyone call that a success in combatting it?

“I know Council have been very proactive, with a number of initiatives, dog bins, signage for people to clean up after them, that has been done, but out of all this it seems to be these initiatives haven’t worked. “

He added: “Really, if we are going to tackle this situation, we have to tackle those dog owners out there who are not responsible.

“I’d like to put on record, this is no indictment on those people out there walking dogs who are very, very responsible people, they clean up after them when their dogs do their business, but there are other people there who are just not interested.

“When someone would look at those figures there, that wouldn’t encourage me.

“If those figures were in the hundreds then the message would be going out quite clearly. The figures are very, very low. The poor dogs can’t read and it’s down to the dog owners who are responsible.”

Sinn Féin Councillor Patricia Logue said: “We know it’s a big, big issue within the whole Council district, however there are major hotspots and in the Moor area we do plan to be doing a few initiatives in conjunction with community groups, Council and the residents as well but I do think Council need to be thinking outside the box, and it’s not a nine to five issue and I’m glad there is going to be more people skilled up to be handing out the penalties and I do think the community safety wardens would be very beneficial, especially outside normal Council opening hours. Community Safety Wardens could play a big part in making those dog owners who are not responsible responsible.”

Referring to the comments by Councillor Carr at the earlier meeting, Colr. Logue said: “There are clear signs that dogs are not allowed in the cemetery but it has been noted people walk through with their dogs, mostly on their lead.”

She suggested the cemetery team might be enlisted to help discourage this. “There’s nothing worse than someone going to the grave of their loved one and finding dog foul on it.”

Alliance Councillor Rachael Ferguson said there were plenty of dog bins and agreed that engaging with the communities was key.

She also pointed out that Enagh Youth Forum have a toilet they push around with the ‘bag it, bin it’, message on it, and suggested a social media campaign to promote responsible ownership.

A new Dog Control Work Plan April 2020-March 2021 has been drafted to develop a responsible dog ownership strategy and action plan for the council area which reflects best practice and legislative compliance in Licensing, Straying, Attacks, Fouling and Noise Nuisance.

A communication strategy on responsible dog ownership, partnerships with other organisations, and continuing education and school initiatives form part of this.