New social media campaign to combat dog-littering in Limerick
LIMERICK City and County Council has joined forces with local authorities in Clare, Tipperary and Cork for a new social media campaign to combat dog litter.
This campaign, which begins on Wednesday, will coincide with the May Bank Holiday when more people than ever are expected to be out walking their dogs.
The purpose of the campaign, which will run across a variety of social media platforms, is to raise awareness with dog owners of the importance of taking personal responsibility and cleaning up after their dog.
Cllr Michael Collins, Mayor of the City and County of Limerick has welcomed the initiative targeting the scourge of dog poo on streets, footpaths, greens and other public spaces. "Dog litter is an issue throughout Limerick City and County. Everyone has an experience of stepping in it or wheeling in it with buggies, wheelchairs, bikes etcetera. I am asking citizens with dogs to be responsible, show you love your dog, your community and your city and county and protect public health. Please pick up after your dog and bag and bin the dog poo," he said.
The campaign highlights that all bags, containing dog poo, 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 and not allowing them to roam freely, leaving dog poo in public spaces," said a spokesperson for the local authority.
The campaign, which will run until Monday, May 3, will also address the importance of dog owners bringing home their dog’s poo 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," added the spokesperson.
Dog owners are also being advised that E coli, a particularly nasty bacteria and parasites like roundworm and their larvae, which can cause loss of vision, are also found in dog poo.
"Dog littering is not a dog problem, but it is a dog owner problem, and people are asked to take poo 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 poo," said the council is a statement.
You can follow the campaign on the Limerick City and County Council’s social media channels @LimerickCouncil and @LimerickEnviron