Council appeal urges dog owners to clean up after their pets
Wed, March 02, 2022
Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council wants to remind the public about the importance of cleaning up after their pets.
A dog owner is committing an offence, under The Fouling of Lands by Dogs (Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council) Order 2018, if they fail to do so.
All dog foul should be lifted immediately and disposed of in any public litter bin.
The 2018 Order increases the available fine in court for dog fouling offences from £500 to £1000 while offenders are also subject to an £80 Fixed Penalty Notice.
Council officers will be patrolling the Borough to enforce this legislation and will take a zero-tolerance approach to fouling. Offenders will receive a Fixed Penalty Notice and failure to pay will result in prosecution.
Council would also remind the public that they can provide witness statements about incidents of dog fouling that they observe. These can be used to serve Fixed Penalty Notices and prosecute offenders. On 4th February 2022 Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council achieved a successful prosecution of a Portstewart resident in Ballymena Courthouse for failing to remove dog foul. A fine of £100 was imposed along with costs of £188.This conviction was secured on the basis of evidence from an independent witness who provided a statement to Council officers.
Dog owners need to be responsible – dog foul left in our public places is dirty, unsightly and it presents a risk to public health. Toxocara canis is the common roundworm of the dog and its eggs are present in the faeces of dogs which have not been wormed. If a person comes into contact with contaminated faeces and infected eggs, usually through swallowing, there is a slight possibility of an illness referred to as toxocariasis. Symptoms may include a cough, a fever, headaches and stomach pain. In rare cases the roundworm larvae may travel to organs in the body including the liver, lungs brain and eyes.
To report a dog fouling incident in your area please contact Environmental Services Department on 028 2766 0200 or email dogfouling@causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk.