Dog Sh*t around the city - what can be done?

Worn Out

I've had enough of all the dog sh*t around Galway City.
Every footpath, park, green or public space is covered in the filth. It's disgusting, unsightly and a danger to health.

12 days ago I reported to the City Council over 40 faeces along the short Nimmo's Pier. They acknowledged my email, said a crew would be notified but guess what - it's still all there today. Nimmo's Pier is very popular with locals, tourists and features a Children's playground.

I spend a lot of time walking and running around Galway and often when I see someone walking away from one of the pets latest dumps I challenge them as to why they are not picking it up. Most say I'll pick it up on the way back or most often that they don't have a bag. Tonight though I had a small incident along the river by the University.

After a lady watched her pet Westie do it's mess I watched her walk over to it, inspect it and then walk away. At first I thought she was going to pick it up but when she walked away I asked her "was she not going to pick it up?" She replied the usual that she didn't have a bag and I offered to help her find one! She didn't take too kindly to this and told me to "mind my own business," I then produced my iphone and took her photo to share with the Council, Facebook, Boards or whoever. She got upset at this and told me I was "invading her privacy" to which I told her that dog sh*t is disgusting and that she should go and stand in it.

I really am sick of these dog owners who think that there dog can sh*t anywhere and everywhere with no respect for other people.
I have this lady's photo and will be starting a collection to share at some point in the future.

I've no problem with dogs as long as the owners clean up after them.
Does anyone else share my complete contempt and lack of respect for basic health and decency?

Is taking photo's a good idea?

boardzz

If you took pictures of me like that your phone would be going in the dog ****

ben.schlomo

Worn Out wrote: »

I've had enough of all the dog sh*t around Galway City.
Every footpath, park, green or public space is covered in the filth. It's disgusting, unsightly and a danger to health.

12 days ago I reported to the City Council over 40 faeces along the short Nimmo's Pier. They acknowledged my email, said a crew would be notified but guess what - it's still all there today. Nimmo's Pier is very popular with locals, tourists and features a Children's playground.

I spend a lot of time walking and running around Galway and often when I see someone walking away from one of the pets latest dumps I challenge them as to why they are not picking it up. Most say I'll pick it up on the way back or most often that they don't have a bag. Tonight though I had a small incident along the river by the University.

After a lady watched her pet Westie do it's mess I watched her walk over to it, inspect it and then walk away. At first I thought she was going to pick it up but when she walked away I asked her "was she not going to pick it up?" She replied the usual that she didn't have a bag and I offered to help her find one! She didn't take too kindly to this and told me to "mind my own business," I then produced my iphone and took her photo to share with the Council, Facebook, Boards or whoever. She got upset at this and told me I was "invading her privacy" to which I told her that dog sh*t is disgusting and that she should go and stand in it.

I really am sick of these dog owners who think that there dog can sh*t anywhere and everywhere with no respect for other people.
I have this lady's photo and will be starting a collection to share at some point in the future.

I've no problem with dogs as long as the owners clean up after them.
Does anyone else share my complete contempt and lack of respect for basic health and decency?

Is taking photo's a good idea?

Dont notice a major dog turd problem around Galway city ever really, maybe in areas where dogs are regularly walked but i dont frequent those places, if you took a photo of me in some strange effort to report me for something id more than likely grab it and fook it in the river. You have reported it to the council, thats all you can do, a one man band going around mouthing at people aint gonna do anything apart from get you reported.

Meteoric

I once got really yelled at by someone about people not picking up after their dogs while I was picking up after my dog, was on the prom, dog did his business and I was in the middle of cleaning up after him when I got subjected to sustained abuse about dog waste on the prom and no-one was doing anything about it. I had picked it up, wiped with tissue and was rinsing with water. The fact that before that person got there I was already cleaning up was apparently irrelevant.
When people do stuff like that (not your case OP) it harms everyone as why should I clean up (yes of course I always do) when I get as much abuse for clearing up as when I don't? I was in a situation where I was cleaning up as much as I could and I got abuse.
I'm not saying the person yelling at me didn't have a point, they did, but had I just walked on they would not have had me as a target.
Also I've not noticed it as a major problem in Galway compared to other places I've been, I rarely have stood in or had to avoid it in Galway. Plus taking the photo will probably not help much in tracking the person down unless Galway CC have a database of all our current faces which I think unlikely.
P.S. I only go the extra mile when walking on a paved area where people often walk otherwise it's pick up and carry to nearest bin

inisboffin

OP, while possibly not making you very popular, afaik photographing someone in public is NOT illegal, whereas them taking your phone is. However depending where you use that photo is where the legalities become complex and someone could possibly sue.

In real life however just be careful, at the very least you might lose a phone.

Squeeonline

I'm of the opinion that if someone is caught not cleaning up after their animal, they should have their noses pushed in it. They won't do it twice.

steel_spine

I'm over Salthill direction and there is dog shit everywhere, all the time. Partly from people letting their dogs wander, and partly people just not picking up while walking. The council never clean it up and it doesn't get washed away if the weather's halfway decent. It is rank to be fair, I can't imagine being in a wheelchair and having to deal with that.

beardybrewer

You could certainly photo the state of the paths and such to make your point. Keep emailing them photos and maybe they'll get disgusted enough to do something about it.

Redhairedguy

An old shoe box full of dog turds posted directly to Galway CC would definitely get their attention! :pac:

Plus, the headline in the Advertiser on Thursday would be fantastic.

JohnCleary

As a person who walks daily during the summer, I cannot get over the amount of sh1te on the prom/city centre... it's simply ridiculous.

Whatever happened of the pooper scooper idea on the prom? I haven't seen a bag in one of the holders in a longggg time (ie. 2+ years)

Dog's need to sh1te, but owners need to clean up after them. I saw a woman cleaning up after her down down the Long Walk a few weeks ago... wanted to give her a high five for her efforts but decided not to considering she had a steamer in her hand :pac:

IMO the council are as much to blame as the dog owners... provide a clean-up facility and people will use it. OR, have wardens out on the prom hiding behind bushes handing out on-the-spot fines for people not cleaning up after their dogs

snubbleste

I cannot see how the Council are to blame.
The pet owners are to blame. Their dog, their responsibility.

inisboffin

snubbleste wrote: »

I cannot see how the Council are to blame.
The pet owners are to blame. Their dog, their responsibility.

They are, but a lot of places have bag receptacles in touristy areas, and clean up the dog poo that is dropped.

I also don't think people who do offend realise the extent the nastiness when they leave the offending pile.

I've definitely heard "sure it's only on the grass - isn't it good fertilizer" (which it isn't).

BeardySi

Personally I want to track such dog owners down and sh!t on their doorsteps...

By all means take your photos and bombard the council with them! It's perfectly legal to photograph anyone in a public place. If everyone did that maybe there might be something done about it...

/bugbear

biko

It's a mindset thing. I've seen many owners tying a poo bag or two to the leash so it's not forgotten.
Good practice imo.

Cheshire Cat

I have two dogs and clean up after them. My dogs - my problem. It's just not fair to make it a problem for everybody else. I don't see why the council should supply pooper scoopers for me to clean up. Bags are very cheap in Mr. Price or the €2 shops. They are my dogs so it's up to me! There are bags in the pockets of every single jacket I own.
Having said that, I have given up on offering bags to other dog owners. The foul language I encountered on such occasions was unbelievable and somehow fitting to the offence

barefoot

Galway and Salthill in particular is a tourist destination. I think the fine for not cleaning up dog poop while
walking a dog in Galway should be minimum €1000 and €5000 for repeat offences. I am not a dog owner but I have observed that many dog owners train their dogs to poop while on these walks rather than have the dog poop in their own back garden.

ben.schlomo

barefoot wrote: »

Galway and Salthill in particular is a tourist destination. I think the fine for not cleaning up dog poop while
walking a dog in Galway should be minimum €1000 and €5000 for repeat offences. I am not a dog owner but I have observed that many dog owners train their dogs to poop while on these walks rather than have the dog poop in their own back garden.

And your fine for public order offences would be between €10000-€20000 im assuming so, workable.

QuantumAoif

I'm really surprised at this thread. I'm also a dogowner/ runner in the salthill area and I really dont think there is dog sh*t everywhere and that the issue is as bad as it is being laid out here. I always pick up after my dog but also notice a lot of other dog owners doing the same. Salthill park and the prom is so public that you wouldnt dare not too?? Dog owners in general get a lot of unwarranted flak in my opinion.

You should see Salthill park early EVERY morning covered in rubbish, broken glass, pieces of metal before the council come and pick up human waste. I cut my foot on a piece of leftover 5 a side, metal a few weeks back. Picked it up and put it in a bin. Im not condoning dog owners who do not pick up waste just stating they're not the only problem with regards people littering and having a general lack of regard for others safety and well being.

barefoot

ben.schlomo wrote: »

And your fine for public order offences would be between €10000-€20000 im assuming so, workable.

I'm only discussing dog poop here....not too interested in public order offences because I don't come across them too often. Whereas every time I walk the Prom I see dog poop everywhere and spend most of my time looking down at the pavement. I would prefer to be able to enjoy the view of Galway Bay.

OldNotWIse

biko wrote: »

It's a mindset thing. I've seen many owners tying a poo bag or two to the leash so it's not forgotten.
Good practice imo.

If you were to go through my wardrobe right now, there's a good possibility you will find a pooh bag in the pocket of every item

I also end up with them in my handbag, coat pockets, shopping bags...so afraid am I that I'll be caught without one. Happened once and I had to hunt down a brown paper bag from a chipper to clean up.

People who dont clean up disgust me, but so do the sh1t nazis who think we are all the same... I've been glared at for not cleaning up quick enough after mine...like we are expected to catch it before it hits the ground or something.

Then there are those who look at you in disgust when you DO clean up, and call you a sh1t picker

ben.schlomo

barefoot wrote: »

I'm only discussing dog poop here....not too interested in public order offences because I don't come across them too often. Whereas every time I walk the Prom I see dog poop everywhere and spend most of my time looking down at the pavement. I would prefer to be able to enjoy the view of Galway Bay.

Everywhere? So every step i assume, im just asking as i walked it last Thursday and could the dog poop i came across on no fingers. Hyperbole seems to be the order of the day in this thread.

JupiterKid

Dog sh*t is a health hazard. People who don't pick up after their dogs are selfish, ignorant and lazy.

I commend your efforts OP.

jkforde

biko wrote: »

It's a mindset thing. I've seen many owners tying a poo bag or two to the leash so it's not forgotten.
Good practice imo.

it's a mentality thing for sure.... i encourage ye to keep an eye on the stretch of path west of Blackrock towards the golf driving range.. some thoughtful citizen goes to the bother of bagging their mutt's excrement.... and then drops the said plastic bag with the fresh sh*te in the grass verge. fair dues to the OP but our irrationality knows no bounds and addressing this level of wilful stupidity is verging on Sisyphean.

Das Kitty

There are pooper scooper bags in the recepticles on the prom at the moment.

TBH, I haven't noticed it too bad lately and have been down there a lot. I'm more peed off at people bringing their dogs around to the green area at the back of our house to do their business. It means the kids can't use the green area and bringing out the bins is like a disgusting obstacle course.

magentas

I think it's good to challenge anyone you see not picking up after their dog. Shame them into it if nothing else!
I have enough work to do cleaning up after my own dogs so I certainly don't want to have to deal with someone elses!

Even when I bring my own out onto the green in our estate and I see dog crap, I'm paranoid that people would think it's from my dogs! I feel sorry for people with kids because they don't want to let their kids on the grass and these selfish ignorant fools make all dog owners look bad.

Agree that council are not responsible. Once adequate bins are provided, the rest is up to the owner.

Gambas

I found a doggie bag with a nice piece of hound cable in it dumped in my front garden. So someone went to the trouble of watching fido bend it out, then picked up, and instead of waiting until they met a bin, dumped it over a wall into the hedge in a garden where kids play. I can't decide if this is better or worse.

General General

There should be a Galway City Council sponsored campaign which encourages everyone to take a photo of anyone who doesn't clear up their dog's turd(s)... take a photo, publish it, name & shame. & I mean NAME & shame. People who don't clean up after their dog(s) will have no cause to complain about a photo being taken if it is a city wide 'official' campaign.

Let's not forget, there are lots of decent dog owners that do clean up.

snubbleste

That's ridiculous.

ben.schlomo

General General wrote: »

There should be a Galway City Council sponsored campaign which encourages everyone to take a photo of anyone who doesn't clear up their dog's turd(s)... take a photo, publish it, name & shame. & I mean NAME & shame. People who don't clean up after their dog(s) will have no cause to complain about a photo being taken if it is a city wide 'official' campaign.

Let's not forget, there are lots of decent dog owners that do clean up.

Great idea, that will work..........or no actually it wont.

General General

ben.schlomo wrote: »

Great idea, that will work..........or no actually it wont.

Why not?

swiftman

the Council should hire someone, his job would be to walk the prom, in normal clothes even better and hand out fines to anyone walking away from there dogs sh!t.
why not? in no time the council would be making a profit to fit more bins etc.

slightly of note but same point, i never understand why there is no traffic/parking wardens working with the council, surely if they had enough to cover the city centre easily, they too would pay for themselfs.

i also agree with taking pictures or videos, post a youtube link in this thread, print few pictures and hang them in the local centra, supermacs around salthill

ben.schlomo

General General wrote: »

Why not?

Ah now if that needs explaining to you then youre beyond it really.

Mrs OBumble

swiftman wrote: »

i never understand why there is no traffic/parking wardens working with the council, surely if they had enough to cover the city centre easily, they too would pay for themselfs.

Ahh, there are.

'Tis a variation of the Community Wardens. Grey uniforms, the traffic lads have blue trim and the CWs have red - or vice versa.

I don't know if they have authority to issue dog-poo fines or not, but it's fine line - one sole-working employee out facing an aggressive dog owner ...

ben.schlomo

swiftman wrote: »

the Council should hire someone, his job would be to walk the prom, in normal clothes even better and hand out fines to anyone walking away from there dogs sh!t.
why not? in no time the council would be making a profit to fit more bins etc.

slightly of note but same point, i never understand why there is no traffic/parking wardens working with the council, surely if they had enough to cover the city centre easily, they too would pay for themselfs.

i also agree with taking pictures or videos, post a youtube link in this thread, print few pictures and hang them in the local centra, supermacs around salthill

Ehhhh, they are called community wardens.

General General

ben.schlomo wrote: »

Ah now if that needs explaining to you then youre beyond it really.

Maybe I am on this score.. enlighten me.

ben.schlomo

General General wrote: »

Maybe I am on this score.. enlighten me.

Right so you think a publicly available 'wall of shame' type thing is the only way to discourage this behaviour? You dont see something slightly weird with this punishment, what would you suggest we do wuith criminals, id be interested to know. As opposed to maybe having someone who patrols/monitors these supposedly highly befouled areas.

General General

ben.schlomo wrote: »

Right so you think a publicly available 'wall of shame' type thing is the only way to discourage this behaviour? You dont see something slightly weird with this punishment, what would you suggest we do wuith criminals, id be interested to know. As opposed to maybe having someone who patrols/monitors these supposedly highly befouled areas.

So you're against a campaign where photo/video evidence of breaking the law by not clearing up your dog's mess would be published? I'm not.

OK, maybe I am, perhaps the campaign could encourage people to photo/video anyone so doing & submit it to the authorities who could then fine on that basis.. would that suit you better? I suppose I can see why the first draft got you queasy, still, I like the idea of public stocks for offenders... & I 'as a big bag o' tomatars I've been keeping fer throwin' if I everr get tha chance.

& I was brainstorming, being a visionary, a creative, dancing with the fire of inspiration, spewing my bullsh!t hypotheses about what the hypothesis should be... & you shot me down.

I forgive you. For my mercy knows no bounds.

So, are we agreed, campaign to promote submission of photo/video evidence of the crime & that stops anyone complaining in similar circumstances to those in the OP?

Yes?

Friends again?

Awwwwwwwwwwww...

hsianloon

Road round shantalla to westside is so **** saturated I have difficulty making out what's the road and what's ****.

I agree with the OP. Name and shame. Nice big billboards with a title like ' YOUR NEIGHBOURS NANA WHO GIVES YOU COOKIES ? HER DOG DROPS SOME TOO AND SHE DOESNT CLEAN UP AFTER.'

barefoot

ben.schlomo wrote: »

Everywhere? So every step i assume, im just asking as i walked it last Thursday and could the dog poop i came across on no fingers. Hyperbole seems to be the order of the day in this thread.

There is a really bad tone to all of your posts on this thread. I don't post very often but I contributed to this thread because I felt strongly enough about the subject. You appear to be making fun of me with the above comment and I think that is really nasty of you.

ben.schlomo

barefoot wrote: »

There is a really bad tone to all of your posts on this thread. I don't post very often but I contributed to this thread because I felt strongly enough about the subject. You appear to be making fun of me with the above comment and I think that is really nasty of you.

Report it if you feel strongly enough, i dont agree that Galway is covered in a sea of dogsh1t but you and others do (people disagree all the time), if you dont like me disagreeing with you then you can feel free to put me on ignore, it wont hurt my feelings.

General General

boardzz wrote: »

If you took pictures of me like that your phone would be going in the dog ****

IF you thought you could get away with it, maybe... otherwise you'd possibly whine on about it.

Worn Out

Thanks for all the responses to my OP. At first I thought that I had little support after the threats of my phone being inserted up a dog's backside but I now see there are plenty of people that share my feelings.

It was never my idea to take a photo of the offender, I read it on a sign left on the prom a year or so ago and thought it was a good idea. After seeing the reaction of the offender on Sunday I will do it again as I hope to shame these people into cleaning up after their animals.

On my travels today I saw a lady allow her dog to sh*t on the gravel outside the Rahoon Cemetary, unfortunately I didn't get to stop but it just highlights the lack of respect for other people.

I have nothing against dog owners and am delighted when I see them tidy up after their animals. I will continue to discuss with those that don't their reasons for being so disgusting.

Worn Out

The Wall of shame is a great idea - You Tube!!!!
The impact of a video showing the owners excuses and embarrassment would be much more interesting.

Cleahaigh

Follow the offenders home, shove their dog turds through their letterbox, repeat as necessary. We could assemble a militia of like minded citizens to keep it going until it works.

Redhairedguy

Cleahaigh wrote: »

Follow the offenders home, shove their dog turds through their letterbox, repeat as necessary. We could assemble a militia of like minded citizens to keep it going until it works.

If you intend on suggesting organising something like a vigilante group, I do believe we are going to have a problem... :pac:

QuantumAoif

I walked the prom yesterday and made a concerted effort to notice any dog poop anywhere... not one. I was also in Salthill park. Didnt see any. This problem is completley blown out of proportion. I barely see dogs anymore on the prom as they are not allowed on the beaches. Littering, however in general is a massive problem. Might set up that wall of shame, for the women I saw the last day stuffing a dirty nappy into the rocks on the prom, oh but I doubt Id get support for that.

Also, tourists love dogs. Most cities in the States are dog friendly and support dog owners, pity Galway isn't heading in that direction.

OldNotWIse

QuantumAoif wrote: »

I walked the prom yesterday and made a concerted effort to notice any dog poop anywhere... not one. I was also in Salthill park. Didnt see any. This problem is completley blown out of proportion. I barely see dogs anymore on the prom as they are not allowed on the beaches. Littering, however in general is a massive problem. Might set up that wall of shame, for the women I saw the last day stuffing a dirty nappy into the rocks on the prom, oh but I doubt Id get support for that.

Also, tourists love dogs. Most cities in the States are dog friendly and support dog owners, pity Galway isn't heading in that direction.

Can we also have one for the ones who clear nasal passages and hock out phlegm onto the pavement? Also the ones who leave pools of vomit on the street after too much beer.

Let us not forget the ones responsible for broken glass that cuts our dogs paws.

Let the sh1t nazis do something about these too, since they get off so much on vigilante justice.

General General

OldNotWIse wrote: »

Can we also have one for the ones who clear nasal passages and hock out phlegm onto the pavement? Also the ones who leave pools of vomit on the street after too much beer.

Let us not forget the ones responsible for broken glass that cuts our dogs paws.

Let the sh1t nazis do something about these too, since they get off so much on vigilante justice.

If there was a wall of shame or a campaign to report, those responsible for broken glass should get on there too.

Now, phlegm & vomit, these are more traditional, cultural things & so should be tolerated, while not exactly encouraged.

Yes. I was joking there with that last bit.

dafunk

I'm not a dog owner, don't like walking in **** but its presence doesn't bother me as much as it bothers other people. To be fair I have never seen a dog owner ignore their dog ****ting, I frequently see people bagging them. One thing for sure though, that I have posted about here numerous times before is the number of dogs wandering around on their tod. This seems to me to be a purely Galway concept of sending your dogs out to play on the street while you're in work all day, never seen it in other cities before but every single day I see dogs wandering around without owners. These are possibly the ones responsible for the dog****. Why is it people do this? I said to to a friend of mine whos from Galway, expecting her to respond with "don't be daft, people don't send their dogs out to the street when they're in work" but she responded with "Of course, my family, extended family, neighbours and friends all do this when they go to work, what's the problem?". Can anyone explain? These are the dog owners who should get the 1000 euro fines.

Mrs OBumble

ben.schlomo wrote: »

what would you suggest we do wuith criminals,

Put their names, addresses ("of Ard-whatever, Bally-somewhere") and photos in the newspaper? Oh, that's right, we already do ...

ben.schlomo

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Put their names, addresses ("of Ard-whatever, Bally-somewhere") and photos in the newspaper? Oh, that's right, we already do ...

In terms of the fines handed out as the person i responded to said fines for dog poop should be in the 1000s, maybe reread things a few times before attempting to look smart, didnt really work out for you here anyway.