Dog days in Galway: little enforcement of control laws

Date Published: 12-Apr-2013

 By Dara Bradley

New statistics suggest that enforcement of dog control laws in Galway City was non-existent for a second year in a row.

The Department of Environment figures show that during a 24 months period, not one on-the-spot fine was issued by Galway City Council in relation to dog enforcement laws, which includes dog fouling, a problem that consistently blights parts of the city, and is regularly raised at Galway Joint Policing Committees.

By contrast, some 430 one-the-spot fines in relation to breaches of the Control of Dogs Act, were issued in Louth last year, and some 226 in Kerry, 224 in Monaghan and 111 in Offaly.

As well as dog defecating, owners of canines can receive on-the-spot fines for not having their dogs on a lead, for not having a licence for the dogs or for allowing them to run on the city’s beaches without a leash during the summer months.

The department’s figures show that the local authority-run dog pound in the city had income of just over €31,000 last year, and expenditure of over €96,000 meaning it had an operating deficit of just over €65,000.

The data shows that a total of 162 stray and unwanted dogs were surrendered or collected by the city’s dog pound in 2012 – some 87 of these were put down, two died of natural causes, and 73 were either reclaimed or re-housed.

A further 38 stray and unwanted greyhounds were surrendered/collected at the city pound and all of them were put down.

The department issued some 1,501 dog licences to city residents in 2012, 157 more than the previous year.

In County Galway, where there are two dog wardens operating from two local authority pounds, a total of 28 on-the-spot fines were issued last year.

In the county, a total of 404 dogs were seized by the County Council, and 13 were surrendered or collected. Of these, 366 were re-homed or reclaimed, and just 59 – far fewer than the city – were put down.

The County Council’s dog enforcement facilities also made a loss. It cost €182,000 to operate the facility in 2012, just over €59,000 more than the income it generated.

The Council issued some 7,186 individual dog licences last year, 716 fewer licences in 2012 compared with the previous year. It also issued nine general dog licences, whereas the city issued none.

Madra, the Connemara-based dog rescue and adoption service, said the figures highlights that “irresponsible and careless dog owners are living in our community”.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.