New colourful dog walk route and foul bin signage for Derry and Strabane parks

The new Dogs Trust ‘Walk This Way’ project has been introduced in various other areas after being adopted by local authorities and involves maps and signage with short, medium and long dog routes and bin locations.

It also provides adhesives for normal bins alerting dog owners to the fact they can use any public bin to dispose dog waste in.

In a presentation before Derry City and Strabane District Council’s Health & Community Committee, Deirdre Morrow, Community Engagement Officer and Lucy Keown, NI Public Affairs Officer, Dogs Trust NI detailed how ‘Walk This Way’ was first developed by Dogs Trust in 2017 in a partnership with Keep Britain Tidy “in recognition that fouling is a common issue in public spaces all over the UK”.

The project involves creating dog-friendly walking routes in public spaces, such as parks, nature reserves and urban areas and installing colourful route markers guide the user to the additional bins, facilitating more opportunities for owners to correctly dispose of dog waste.

Deirdre Morrow said that this was a 'nudge' style intervention with welcome signs, route markers and bin stickers and monitoring the progress if desired.

SDLP Councillor Lilian Seenoi-Barr, who proposed the invitation to the Dogs Trust, said this was an issue of great importance to local people.

"This is an issue that remains a massive issue within our community. Every Councillor here receives calls and emails about from the public asking us to deal with this issue.”

Colr. Seenoi-Barr welcomed the reduction in dog foul noticed elsewhere through this scheme.

Sinn Féin Councillor Aisling Hutton said the bright imagery involved in the signage and stickers was “really striking and child friendly”.

"I concur with what Lilian is saying, we are inundated with reports from residents and families about dog fouling on our streets and communities.”

Colr. Hutton said elected representatives worked closely with Council officers to ensure signage is erected in different areas, and said that this scheme was very welcome, and that it would be good to see it replicated in urban and residential areas “where people are out working and where children play especially and in our green areas.”

"We are committed here to providing safe and clean communities and this a brilliant start to doing that.”

DUP Alderman Niree McMorris said that tackling dog fouling was extremely important, and also praised the aesthetically pleasing project.

Ald. McMorris also welcomed the recent upgrade following a visit to Pennyburn dog pound and praised Council officers for their work on this, dog fouling and associated issued to date.

SDLP Colr. Catherine McDaid also praised the child friendly aspect of ‘Walk this Way’, while Derek Hussey asked whether the message that people can use any public bin to dispose of bagged dog foul fitted with the Council trying to encourage people to use the red dog bins.

A senior Council officer responded that while that was the preferred option, people can use ordinary waste bins as well.

He added that on the new maps “we will outline where the bins are” along the routes.