Dogs Trust has launched ‘The Big Scoop’, their annual dog fouling awareness campaign today, to encourage more people to pick up after their dog. The charity is eager to highlight that dog fouling is a human problem and wants to see dog owners take responsibility by picking up after their dogs and reducing the amount of dog mess being left in public spaces.
Recent research* carried out by Dogs Trust found that 9 in 10 people believe there’s an issue with dog fouling in their area. A startling 87% believe the issue has become worse over the past year, with 89% of respondents claiming to have walked in dog poo in the last twelve months. 68% stated they often witness dog walkers leaving their dogs’ poo behind while 85% reported seeing discarded full poo bags.
Comedian and Radio Presenter PJ Gallagher said: “As a huge dog lover, it really upsets me to see people not cleaning up after their dogs. Let’s be honest, it’s not the most glamourous part of owning a dog but it takes seconds and real dog lovers understand how important it is. It’s simple really! If you love your dog, you will bag and bin their poo.”
Although public spaces across the country have designated dog poo bins, the charity wants to stress that any litter bin will do. There’s no need to worry if you can’t see a designated dog poo bin in sight, you can put your bag in the nearest litter bin you see.
PR & Communications Manager at Dogs Trust Ireland, Corina Fitzsimons continued: “Our survey found that 69% of respondents have come across dog poo in a children’s park. This worrying statistic could not only have dangerous consequences, especially for children but will also have a negative impact on how dogs are perceived in Ireland. To change this perception, we are asking people to take responsibility and pick up after their dog. We are genuinely concerned with so many people reporting an increase in dog fouling over the last year, that dogs will be excluded from more and more places if it continues. We would also like to thank those who do pick up after their dogs and remind everyone that bagging is only half the job, you need to bin it too.”
As part of this year’s campaign, the charity’s Education and Community team have created online toolkits so every school and community group can take part. Dogs Trust hopes by teaching children about responsible dog ownership that it will encourage them to remind the adults they are walking with to pick up after their dog.
Pic credit: Fran Veale
