Social media campaign to help combat dog litter

Cork County Council has joined Local Authorities in Clare, Limerick and Tipperary on a new social media campaign to combat dog litter.  This campaign will take place from Wednesday 28th April to Monday 3rd May, to coincide with the May Bank Holiday where more people than ever will be expected to be out walking their dogs.

The purpose of the social media campaign is to raise awareness with dog owners of the importance of taking personal responsibility and cleaning up after their dog.

Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Mary Linehan Foley welcomed the social media campaign targeting the scourge of dog waste on our streets, footpaths, greens and other public spaces and says

“Dog litter is an issue throughout Cork County. Everyone has an experience of stepping in it or wheeling in it with buggies, wheelchairs, bikes etc.  I am asking citizens with dogs to be responsible, show you love your dog, your community and your county and protect public health. Please pick up after your dog and bag and bin the dog waste”.

This campaign highlights that all bags, containing dog waste, are litter and this includes dog litter bags that are compostable. It is not an uncommon sight to see bags containing dog litter left on our hedgerows and even left hanging from trees. The campaign emphasises the importance for dog owners of always controlling their dog by not allowing them to roam freely, leaving dog poo in public spaces. It will also address the importance of bringing home your dog’s waste if there are no public bins or if the public bins are full. 

Dog poo is unpleasant, unsightly and smelly, as well as unhygienic and it can spread disease. It is estimated that a single gram of dog waste can contain 23 million faecal coliform bacteria. These bacteria can cause cramps, diarrhoea, intestinal illness, and serious kidney disorders in humans. E coli, a particularly nasty bacteria and parasites like roundworm and their larvae, which can cause loss of vision, are also found in dog waste.  Our children are most at risk of these diseases.

Dog littering is not a dog problem, but it is a dog owner problem, and people are asked to take waste bags every time they walk their dog in a public place. Many responsible dog owners are doing this already and know that it is the law to bag and bin their dog’s waste.

Follow the campaign on the Cork County Council’s Environment Departments Facebook page