Dog owners might be in line for smelly suprises in the post

Pooper scoopers do not work and neither does the threat of fines so it may be time for Galway City Council to consider more drastic measures to curb the practice of public dog fouling, according to a city councillor.

Labour Councillor Niall McNeilis has highlighted the campaign of one Spanish town which appears to have hit the jackpot, with a unique ‘return to sender’ policy.

Brunete, just outside Madrid, has a 20-strong army of volunteers who patrol the streets in pursuit of dog owners who fail to clean up after their pooches.

After spotting a culprit, the volunteer inveigles the name of the dog from the owner by striking up a conversation.

By using the name of the dog and the breed, the owner can be identified from the registered pet databased.

The volunteers then scoop up the faeces and courier it to the owner in a box marked ‘Lost Property’.

In one week alone, 147 foul-smelling parcels were posted.

There has been a phenomenal 70% drop in the incidents of dog fouling on the streets, according a report in the Telegraph newspaper in the UK.

Last year the town with a population of 10,000 undertook a similarly novel approach to the problem. Owners were chased by a remote controlled car with dog poop placed on it bearing the sign: ‘Don’t leave me – pick me up’.

Two years ago, the council of Hernani in the Basque Country introduced a law forcing dog owners to register their pet’s DNA to allow their excrement to be traced back to them.

While he is not suggesting council staff be forced to send faeces in the post, Cllr McNeilis said Galway City Council needs to put extra resources into tackle dog fouling in the city especially in parks, children’s playgrounds and along Salthill Prom.

For  more, read this week’s Connacht Sentiinel.