CALLS FOR COUNCIL TO ‘STEP UP’ AFTER BUCKET OF DOG FOUL DUMPED IN ESTATE
Residents in a Fermoy housing estste are now calling for the council to ‘step up to the plate and do something’ following what appeared to be a bucket of dog foul was found dumped in the green area of John Anderson Place in Fermoy.
The green area which has been maintained by local residents on a voluntary basis over the past 30 years, is often used by local children to play on.
“The town is riddled with it and no one is coming up with any answers. For someone to just come along with a bucket filled with dog foul and dump it in a green area where kids play, the mind just boggles,” said Eddie Geaney.
Eddie, who cuts the grass and maintains the hedges in John Anderson Place on a voluntary basis, notes that John Anderson Place is one of the first estates to take on this work and have been doing so over the past thirty years.
According to Eddie, the green area in John Anderson Place has ‘not cost the council a penny’. Now however, he is calling for the council to do more on the issue of dog fouling.
“This has been going on for years and it just keeps getting worse. The council seems to be dragging their heels. Once the public see people being prosecuted for dog fouling, that’s when the message sinks in,
“It’s very frustrating when you do something for the council for nothing and they won’t step up and say ‘yes this is a major problem’. All I want is for the council to stop going around in circles once and for all,” a frustrated Eddie told The Avondhu.
‘JUST BEGGARS BELIEF’
Anti- dog fouling signs are in place in the area, erected by Fermoy Town Council, which read ‘ dog fouling is an offence’ and warn of on-the-spot fines of €150 with a maximum fine of €3,000.
Despite this, Eddie claims the issue continues and that signs in place have no affect on the matter.
“The signs are not working. They never have and they never will. There has always been dogs fouling but for someone to go and dump a bucket of dog dirt where they know that there are kids playing, for someone to go to that extreme it just beggars belief.
“What’s really boiling my blood is that someone went out of their way to do that. To me, this is a health and safety issue. I have been asking for cameras so that prosecutions can be given out. It seems it just falls on deaf ears,” Eddie said.
In an attempt to combat the issue of dog fouling in the area, Eddie noted that free doggy bags had been offered locally. However, he notes that even with this measure, people then began dumping the bags.
“I put bags out, and people would put the dog foul into the bag alright but then they would just fire it into the green,” Eddie said.
He also noted that some individuals were calling for dogs to be barred. However, Eddie claims that this is not a solution.
“Barring dogs isn’t a solution because responsible owners suffer then.
You’re not solving the issue, you’re just pushing it on elsewhere,” Eddie said.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH
An enquiry sent to Cork County Council by TheAvondhu, found that no dog fouling fines have been issued in the Fermoy area in the past month.
“Cork County Council is not aware of the specific incident at John Anderson Place in Fermoy. However, Council dog wardens and Municipal service staff patrol this location regularly and provide ongoing support to the local residents’ group,” a spokesperson for the council said.
In a bid to tackle the issue, Eddie noted: “Be under no illusion, I will report anybody I see not cleaning up after their dog in John Anderson Place. It does not matter who they are. I have had enough of this ongoing problem.
“It’s time this problem was met head-on. If you don’t respect the area then face the penalty that comes with the price of not cleaning up after your dog,” he said.