Dog foul to be sprayed bright yellow in Galway to encourage owners to clean up

Local volunteers in Galway City will spray dog foul bright yellow in an effort to encourage owners to pick up after their animals.

Council staff will stencil the words “Clean it up you dirty pup” on footpaths in more than 70 places around the city, while volunteers from residents’ associations and Tidy Towns groups will spray individual dog foul yellow. The spray paints wash away after a few weeks and have “minimal impact” on the environment, according to the council. Extended hours for community wardens in problem areas will also be trialled.

There has been an increase in dog fouling in the city since more people and dog walkers have been getting outside for exercise over the past year, according to the local council’s environmental awareness officer Tiarnan McCusker.

Mr McCusker said the dog fouling can “ruin the outdoor experience for everyone”, which is why Galway City Council is pushing their awareness initiative.

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Mr McCusker said he hopes dog owners can “get behind the campaign and take pride in cleaning up after their dog”.

Galway City Council is not the first in Ireland to think of creative ways to tackle the issue of dog fouling. In April, Leitrim County Council announced it would be encouraging dog owners to provide DNA samples of their pets so the council could trace dog litter back to the four-legged culprit. The process involves sending samples of the dog poo to a laboratory in the United States.

Under the Litter Pollution Act, 1997, dog owners are legally obliged to clean up after their pets. Those in breach of the law are liable to receive a €150 on-the-spot fine.