Watch more of our videos on Shots!
and live on Freeview channel 276

Just three fixed penalties were issued by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council for dog fouling during a five-month period despite 132 complaints, recent figures show.

A report presented to the council’s Neighbourhoods and Communities Committee last week indicated that 46 were “validated upon investigation”.

The complaints were made to the local authority between November 1 last year and March 31. There were 126 complaints for littering and fly-tipping with 15 penalties issued during the same period. During the first six months of this year, there were eight prosecutions for littering with fines up to £100 for each offence.

Recently, the council has been tendering for a “supplementary” enforcement contract for littering, fly-tipping and dog fouling but failed to make an appointment. The council has confirmed its contract with Waste Investigations Support and Enforcement (WISE) ended in March.

Failure to pick up and deposit dog foul in a bin could result in a fixed penalty of £80. Photo by: Local Democracy Reporting Service

Councillors have been told the council is now intending to engage with other local government authorities on this issue and once “options have been explored fully”, they will be considered for a dog fouling strategy.

Fixed penalties for littering and dog fouling increased almost ten-fold since the appointment of WISE in April 2021, rising from nine in 2020/21 to 84 in 2021/22.

There were 199 complaints about dog fouling in the borough in 2021/22; 374 in 2020/21; 314 in 2019/20 and 351 in 2018/19.

A dog fouling hotline was proposed at a council meeting earlier this year. At the time, Carrickfergus Castle DUP Alderman Billy Ashe MBE said he believed dog fouling is an issue over which the council has not got to grips.

Commenting on the latest figures, he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “I believe the area of dog pollution needs additional resources. Thankfully most of our pet owners are caring and responsible. However the few who don’t lift up after their pets let everyone down, put people at risk and deserve to be punished. I welcome the increased fines.”

Failure to pick up dog foul could result in a fixed penalty of £80.

Man attacked by masked men ‘armed with hammers and bats’ in Carrickfergus

Meanwhile, the council issued 328 fixed penalty notices for no dog licence and sent 191 warning letters during the same five-month period. There were 98 complaints about stray dogs, 74 stray dogs lifted and 56 returned to their owners. Thirty-one warning letters were issued.

Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter

Three fixed penalties for dog fouling in five months across Mid and East Antrim