The new free dedicated dog exercise park at the carpark in Henry Street is due to open before the beginning of next month, when new legislation comes into place. 

The dog control orders, which come into effect on April 6th, will give the local Council the power to enforce where dogs have to wear leads, and where they are not permitted. 

While dogs have been excluded from many local areas until now, such as playground and sports pitches, the new laws will give the Council 

power to enforce the current rules, which will also cover illegal dog fouling. 

In a presentation to the Council’s environmental services committee March meeting, Clement Kennedy, principal animal welfare and dog control officer in the district, said dog fouling was “a major issue locally” and had been the reason the park had been created. 

A similar park will also be opened in Omagh. 

In particularly, the safety aspect when it came to dog mess was of key concern, particularly since the Mayor of Derry, Michaela Boyle, had gone temporarily blind as a child as a result of toxocariasis, caused by dog fouling. 

“It is obviously a dangerous occurrence if children particularly get infected, with the faeces in the soil,” said Mr Kennedy. 

“It can lead to eye infections and in some cases blindness. We try to promote bag it, tie it, bin it.”

Mr Kennedy said aside from the dedicated dog park, which he said “will hopefully be completed in the next few weeks,” he and his team took part in regular dog fouling patrols, and were always willing 

to come out and work with communities who have requested their assistance. 

Having recently visited Irvinestown, where dog fouling was an issue outside local schools, they will be visiting Newtownbutler and Bellanaleck soon.