Dog fines have doubled

Council’s Dog Wardens will now patrol the seaside areas of the Borough on their new bikes enabling them to target areas more effectively where dog fouling is a concern along the shore front.

Speaking on behalf of Council, Head of the Enforcement Team, Catherine McNally said “Coleraine Borough Council is taking every action possible to tackle the issue of dog fouling and we have been stepping up our efforts to encourage people to do the right thing and clear up after their pets.

“Since January we have issued twice the amount of fines that we did during the same period in 2013.

“Council is very much committed to tackling this problem and encourage residents to report incidents of dog fouling to members of Council’s Dog Warden Service.

“Dog owners must take responsibility for cleaning up after their pets and realise the effects dog fouling has on our communities. We can assure residents that anyone caught not picking up after their pet, is likely to receive a fixed penalty notice of £50.

“Dog Wardens will continue to carry out planned patrols on a daily basis throughout the Borough to catch offenders. We hope in launching new bike patrols to eradicate dog fouling along our seaside and by being more ‘green’, helping to keep our seaside free from pollution and littering.

To report a dog fouling incident, call Coleraine Borough Council’s Dog Warden Service on 028 7034 7192 or visit the website at www.colerainebc.gov.uk