Sir, – I share Kevin Courtney’s ire at dog fouling (Summer Living, July 19th). He is right to point out that the fine of €150 for dog fouling is paltry – but of course the fine itself not only misses the point but is unenforceable. In 2011 and 2012 there were no fines for dog fouling in Fingal County – and this is not because we don’t have the problem in Fingal. However, another statistic from Fingal County Council reveals what the real problem is. In the same years the number of unsupervised dogs that were impounded was 483 and 479 respectively. The majority of dog littering is caused by dog owners who leave their dogs run stray on our footpaths, playgrounds and green areas. It is also much easier to prove a stray dog than to prove dog fouling.
Yet in Fingal the fine for a stray dog is just €100, only recently up from €30. Stray dogs are not only to blame for dog fouling but are also serious hazards to motorists, cyclists and thus pedestrians. There needs to be a cultural change not only in local council thinking about stray dogs but also the public’s view in general. It’s not something we just have to live with. – Yours, etc,
JOE O’BRIEN,
Mourne View,
Skerries,
Co Dublin.