In an effort to assist dog owners, I am looking into getting several dog waste bins distributed around the estates of the district. This project is tough to get off the ground because the Council will not provide staff to empty these bins, if they were provided.
We all want Ashbourne to be a beautiful and hazard free place to live and to allow our children to play safely in. Dogs that do not receive regular worming treatments pose particular risk as they can become infected with internal parasites that are excreted through the faeces into the environment. As a result, when your child is playing in the green areas (as they should be), they are being exposed to a multitude of different parasites and diseases that can cause serious illness.
We need dog owners to be responsible and by providing the bins for dog waste, I am confident this will help everyone.
I myself am a dog owner and I recognise that there is a problem with dog waste disposal in Ashbourne that has become worse in recent years. There is also a growing issue with relation to bagged dog waste being discarded on the ground or under bushes instead of in the bin. The proposed dog bins are small in size and are fitted onto lamp posts with bag dispensers attached. If owners make a conscious effort to utilise the dog bins once implemented, we will see a dramatic improvement in the aesthetic and health of our town.
If we introduce a specific dog walking route, waste can be managed within a smaller area and it will also divert owners away from certain areas such as housing estates and green areas where children play. This will allow people to exercise and socialise their pets in a designated, controlled environment. In this way, dog waste issues would be better managed when confined to a particular area, whilst simultaneously improving dog behaviour through socialisation. I intend to put forward this motion in a future Council meeting.
While we are on the subject of our four legged friends, I want to bring it to your attention that mandatory microchipping has been introduced in Ireland this year. This means that all dogs must be fixed with a microchip by a veterinary practitioner under law. The benefit of microchipping your pet means that if in the event they go missing, there is a much greater chance of being reunited with them due to the microchip’s unique code. If you haven’t done so already, pop in to one of Ashbourne’s veterinary practices and have a chat with the staff about getting your pet microchipped. It is a very small price to pay for something so important!
2017 update
I am very happy to announce that Ashbourne will be getting a number of dog waste bins implemented around the town over the coming weeks. I have sourced an Irish company that will design and fit the bins at a discounted cost. I will update further and write a press release for social media and the news section of my website when more details present.
