Warden states “It is a nightmare trying to catch people' and says focus should be on promoting responsibility
A dog warden has told Belfast Council that “responsible dog ownership has gone right out the window” as elected representatives admitted the city service is facing a crisis over dog fouling.
At City Hall this week however, councillors agreed more was required to deal with the problem than raising fines, and agreed to defer the decision on new fixed penalties, pending a workshop on the matter and the creation of a council targeted “intervention” around dog fouling, the nature of which was not fully explained.
“We got 250 fixed penalties in the first year, which averages about 20 a month. It doesn’t sound like much, but when you put it in perspective, that was all we were doing all day on split shifts. We were trained by the best in the service, and there were no competency issues. “I tried for an hour in North Belfast, about four months ago, to catch a guy who had let his dog foul in the Waterworks Park. I followed him for an hour waiting for the police to catch up, and he eventually got away as the police were too late.
She added: “Dog ownership has statistically not increased over Covid, but it has. Offices were shut down and so a lot of licences could not be obtained. We are now spending time catching up with a backlog of licences, and the officers are inundated with new applications coming in. We are forever in the course of our duties catching up with people who have no licences for their dogs, usually aged one or two, and gotten during lockdown.
Brasil Últimas Notícias, Brasil Manchetes
Similar News:Você também pode ler notícias semelhantes a esta que coletamos de outras fontes de notícias.
West Belfast: Two men attacked by group with hammersThe men, who went to hospital, were in a parked vehicle in west Belfast when they were attacked.
Consulte Mais informação »
West Belfast: Two men attacked by group with hammersTwo men have been treated in hospital after they were attacked by a group armed with hammers in west Belfast.
Consulte Mais informação »
Masked men 'armed with hammers' attack pair in BelfastUp to six masked men were involved in the attack
Consulte Mais informação »
NI weather LIVE: Snow hits Belfast as yellow and amber weather warnings in forcePolice are warning of very hazardous driving conditions on many roads across Northern Ireland tonight. Keep up to date here 👇
Consulte Mais informação »
Hovis Belfast: Unite members vote to accept pay offer and end disputeUnite members have voted to end an industrial dispute at the Hovis Belfast plant and accept a two-year pay deal 🍞
Consulte Mais informação »
NI weather LIVE: Flights disrupted and roads closed as snow hits BelfastHazardous roads and flight disruption due to poor weather conditions across Northern Ireland. LIVE updates here 👇
Consulte Mais informação »