Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 1 June 2021

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Regulation of Sale and Supply of Pets and Animal Welfare: Discussion

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chair for allowing me in. I have missed many meetings for different reasons, such as health, and I feel like King Henry IV. He rarely visited his subjects in his kingdom, and his answer was "seldom seen but much admired".

I have no problem with most of what has been said here. I agree with it. My daughter and various family members are animal lovers and have dogs, etc., but I have just one issue. In the last 12 months, I have been obliged to walk a lot because of my health condition. I average probably six to eight miles per day. I am not sure if it is appropriate to raise it here but I have one simple question. How one can control littering by dogs? In the significant walks that I do, it is absolutely disgusting. I have seen my grandchildren walk into poos. I know that 90% of dog owners are responsible, but there should be some way of highlighting the 10% who disrespect our footpaths. This morning I walked six or seven miles around Dublin. I was appalled by the amount of dog excrement on the streets. I live in Schull, a beautiful place in west Cork. As I said, 90% of people who have dogs are very honourable. They look after their dogs and make sure that if they litter, the excrement is picked up. However, on the 10%, it galls my heart to see a three-year-old toddler walking into this stuff and trying to clean their shoes. It is only a small issue, but it is something that should be highlighted.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.