Dog dirt still an issue

A dog owners information event may be organised by Kilcullen Tidy Towns to help try and deal with the ongoing problem of dog excrement disposal, writes Brian Byrne.

The issue came up again at the most recent meeting of Kilcullen Community Action, in a discussion on disposal options.

Eoin Houlihan made the point that while there were now notices up asking people to clean up after their dogs, what suggestions were being made on how to dispose of the bags?

Celia Travers said ‘do like all responsible dog owners do, bring it home’.

Ray Kelly noted that he had seen people walking their dogs picking up the excrement in bags while on the way out, but there was no sign of the bags when they were on the way back. “They’ve been slung in a ditch somewhere along the way,” he commented.

Eoin Houlihan suggested that biodegradable bags might be provided, so that at least everything would decompose naturally.

Kildare County Council will supply special bins in estates for disposal of the bags, Ray Kelly said, but the problem arises when they get full, who empties it and where can the stuff go?

“It’s really all about raising awareness,” he added. “Maybe we should start through the schools, then perhaps organise a ‘dog day’ for owners next year, and talk to them about it while they’re there.”