Culmore dog dirt raising concern

A Culmore Point resident said he was “absolutely disgusted” by the amount of dog dirt on the area’s Ardan Road.

The resident, who contacted Derry News, preferred to remain anonymous. He said the problem was not a recent one, it had been “going on for a long time”.

He said: “The Council is doing its best to keep Ardan Road clean. The sweeper lorry goes up there twice a week but as soon as it does, the dogs come behind and their owners just allow them to do their business anywhere.

“I never see stray dogs in the area, so it is somebody’s dog. My wife goes out walking in the evening time and I go out running in the evening time and the dog dirt is just there.

“Dozens of children walk that road to school and you are constantly watching where you are walking in case you step in the dogs’ dirt, which is just everywhere.

“This is really, really dangerous. There is a roundworm called Toxocara canis found in dogs. Roundworm eggs in dog dirt can easily be picked up by young children and cause stomach upsets, sore throats, asthma and in rare cases blindness. Apparently the eggs can remain active in soil for many years after the dog dirt has disappeared.”

The Culmore resident said he would appeal to dog owners to pick up the dirt after their dogs.

“There are plenty of dog bins on that road , so there is no excuse,” he added. “It is not as if there is nowhere to put it. You might have to carry it a couple of yards but that is part and parcel of being a dog owner. If someone doesn’t want to pick up dog dirt, then they shouldn’t have a dog. That’s the way I see it.

“They should make sure they have plenty of bags with them if they are taking their dog out for a walk. Lift up your dog’s dirt so that nobody else stands in it. Don’t leave it for somebody else to lift it.

“Ardan Road is not a dirty road, apart from the dogs’ dirt. A while back, someone wrote on the road sign for Ardan Road, ‘Dog Poo Alley’, the problem is so bad. Everyone is constantly complaining about it.”

Speaking to Derry News, Culmore SDLP councillor Catherine McDaid confirmed people were constantly complaining to her about the volume of dog dirt in the Ardan Road vicinity.

Cllr McDaid said: “I have noticed there is so much of it in Culmore. It is so unsafe. There are bins specifically for dog dirt in the area but, unfortunately, they are not being used. The amount of dog dirt is very dangerous, especially given there are so many children using the Ardan Road.

“Hollybush Bush Primary School is right in the middle of it. There are people walking up and down to school, going up and down on their bikes and with prams and then bringing the dog dirt into the house.

“I have young kids and I have lost count of the number of times I have brought the dirt on the pram wheel into the house, and that’s the whole house then needing to be scrubbed.

“I know the Council is doing everything it can to try and encourage dog owners to pick up after their pets and up the campaign of awareness. We had a presentation from the DogsTrust at the Health and Community committee last month.

“We got an update about how it could possibly step in and help. Council is really looking at all options to see how the situation could be improved but it is an issue, it is a problem right across the district.”

Cllr McDaid said she would encourage dog owners to be responsible.

“If you are taking your dog out for a walk, lift the dog’s dirt and put it into a dog bin. Be responsible for the sake of the wider community.

“I would also appeal to dog owners not to let their pet off the lead for a run because you don’t know where it is going to the toilet then.”