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Scoop
'Benefits would outweigh costs' of scheme to DNA test dog poo
Similar schemes are already in place in other countries so the idea should not be pooh-poohed, one councillor says.
A COUNCILLOR HAS called for the introduction of DNA testing of dog poo nationwide as part of efforts to reduce dog fouling in public spaces.
John Hurley of the Social Democrats told The Journal he is critical of existing laws around fouling, saying local authorities often lack the necessary resources to prosecute offenders.
“The legislation to deal with dog fouling is decided on by central government, but the policing of it is left to local authorities,” the Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown councillor said.
The local authorities can’t possibly police it, he said, because they don’t have enough dog wardens on patrol.
He added: “The only way to prosecute somebody is to have an eyewitness testify before court, identifying the owner of the dog.”
Hurley is calling on the Minister for Agriculture to establish a DNA database for dogs, similar to one for horses that is managed by Horse Sport Ireland for parentage verification and pedigree recording.
He proposes making it mandatory to submit a dog’s genetic information to be registered against its owner, the same way owners’ details are traceable by microchipping which has been obligatory here since 2016.
Under the Litter Pollution Act 1997, it is not illegal for your dog to foul in a public place, but it is illegal to fail to dispose of the poo.
Fines vary across councils nationally, with Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown currently issuing on-the-spot fines of €150 to offenders.
“The benefits would outweigh the costs,” Hurley said of the tests.
“That’s an expensive process, but the fines should cover the costs of such tests, and once a few people have been made an example of the level of offending should decline.”
Similar testing models have been trialled and implemented in overseas locations, among them the London borough of Barking (no, really) which has seen a reduction in fouling as a result.
Other places include Bezier in France, Taragonna in Spain and the territory of Gibraltar, south of Spain, which Hurley says have seen fouling reduce by as much as half.
Hurley highlights the inconveniences faced by members of the public stemming from fouling.
“It’s a real health issue, and actually a huge thing for people with disabilities,” he said.
“People with wheelchairs go through dog poo then they get it on their hands.
“You have kids that get it maybe from the wheels of buggies, or they’re playing in a park, and they just pick it up.”
Hurley says it’s the right time to explore the idea again, in spite of managment at neighbouring Dublin City Council dismissing a similar plan as too complicated back in 2023.
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