WHILE the rain has now returned, the prolonged dry spell of recent weeks once again highlighted a perennial and persistent problem in the county – dog fouling.
This week the Council issued another warning to local dog owners that if they do not pick up after their pets they will be fined, reminding them that dog control patrols were continuing across the county.
“Irresponsible dog owners who leave dog foul behind and fail to ‘bag it, bin it’ will face an £80 fixed penalty for dog fouling,” said spokesman.
The reminder comes on the back of a continued campaign by the Council to tackle the smelly problem, which is a year-round issue but can be particularly noticeable in hot, dry weather like the recent heatwave.
Last month the Council noted the problem was getting worse in general, with the number of dog fouling complaints up 20 percent this year compared to last year. In response to this, the Council said it had been stepping up its dog patrols, and had been trying to educate dog owners on the importance of picking up after their pets.
“Dog fouling is both a nuisance and a serious health hazard as dog faeces can contain a number of things which can make people ill or can even cause blindness,” said Council spokesman.
In response to the Council’s appeal, local residents took to social media to report parts of the county that are particularly badly littered with dog foul at the minute. These included the Necarne Estate near Irvinestown, Belleek village, the Silverhill area of the Lough Shore Road, and the Chanterhill and Tempo Road areas of Enniskillen.
Dog owners are urged to carry a plastic bag or poop scoop while walking, to teach their dog to go to the toilet in their garden before leaving home, and to never let their dog on to the street to foul.
Failure to pay a fixed penalty fine for dog fouling can resulting in a court prosecution and a maximum fine of £1,000.
To report dog fouling email dogcontrol@fermanaghomagh.com or 03003031777.
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