Ireland's dog owners are being asked to 'clean up' after their furry friends.

Just 46 dog fouling fines were handed out across the country last year - and a group representing people who are blind or visually impaired feels strongly that that is just not good enough.

A survey by Vision Ireland revealed over a third of their members have been affected by dog fouling in public spaces.

Dogs running. Picture by: Alamy.com

Head of policy Kevin Kelly said dog poo is not only unpleasant - it is dangerous too.

“The first someone who is blind or vision impaired knows about it is when it’s on the bottom of their shoe,” he said.

“It’s well-known that dog poo is quite dangerous from a health perspective and the spread of disease.

“In addition, it can be slippy - which means there’s a chance that you will slip and fall as well.”

In May, a councillor in Louth called for the creation of a dog DNA database to help authorities track down the owners of dogs who do not clean up after their pet.

Main image: A dog. Image: Geoff Smith / Alamy Stock Photo