Dog poo is an “absolute nightmare” for those with certain disabilities, according to a wheelchair user.

On The Hard Shoulder today, IWA spokesperson John Fulham said the problem has gotten worse in recent years after it had previously been on the decline.

It follows a call from County Louth Cllr Conor Keelan for dog DNA to be gathered in a database to track and crack down on dog fouling.

'Daily experience'

Mr Fulham said avoiding dog poo is a “daily experience” for him in his wheelchair.

“The problem is, once it gets on your wheel and you roll through it, it gets on your hands, it gets on your clothes,” he said.

“Because of the toxicity of dog poo, you get infection and disease.

“If you don’t clean your hands properly or get to somewhere you can do it, you’re transferring the potential for disease elsewhere.”

Dog Australian Cattle Dog / puppy pooping outside. Image: GROSSEMY VANESSA / Alamy Stock Photo

Mr Fulham said other people are impacted too.

“It’s also an absolute nightmare for the visually impaired, those with canes, buggies, children running around picking stuff up – it’s a nightmare,” he said.

'Getting worse'

The wheelchair user said dog fouling is “getting worse again”.

“For a while, people developed a fraction of a social conscience but the novelty of that is wearing off,” he said.

“When you remind people of this, they get aggressive and say, ‘I’m not picking up my dog poo’ – it is getting worse.

“Even at my own apartment block, I see more and more of it now on the pavements.”

Dog poo public awareness

Greystones Tidy Towns Chair Dave O’Reilly said he doesn’t think a database is the solution – as “who’s going to enforce it?”

“We went for the public awareness approach and, although there are some instances of dog fouling, it has been cut down,” he said.

“We remind dog owners that they are responsible and not the dog.

“Most of our bins here in town, the municipal bins, have a big advert on them telling people you must take responsibility and that there’s a 150 fine if you don’t.”

Mr O’Reilly also said a moratorium on bringing dogs to the south beach in Greystones between May and September has been effective in reducing dog fouling there.

Main image: A dog straining to do a poo. Image: Geoff Smith / Alamy Stock Photo