The introduction of DNA testing to identify owners who fail to clean up after their pets has been described as “overly ambitious” by one Clare Councillor.
It comes as one local authority is to introduce the move, with Clare County Council to launch its own campaign to target dog fouling over the Bank Holiday weekend.
Leitrim County Council is introducing DNA testing of dog foul in order to trace it back to the owners who fail to clean up after their pets.
It will operate by taking samples of dog foul from blackspots and matching it back to saliva samples taken from dogs in the area.
It’s the first council in the country to introduce such a measure.
Derek Clune Of Shannon Tidy Towns says dog fouling is a problem across the county in Clare and one that poses health and safety concerns.
He thinks the local authority here should follow suit.
But one Clare County Councillor has described the move as “overly ambitious”, saying the approach taken here will be far more effective.
Clare County Council is collaborating with local authorities in Cork, Limerick and Tipperary on on a new social media campaign to combat dog litter.
The campaign gets underway tomorrow and will run until the May Bank Holiday Monday when large numbers of people across this county are expected to be out walking their dogs.
The purpose of the social media campaign is to raise awareness with dog owners of the importance of taking personal responsibility and cleaning up after their pet.
Clonlara Independent Councillor Michael Begley thinks it more cost effective and will have a bigger impact on combating the problem.
