'It's a serious problem': Concerns raised over control of dogs in Offaly town
Offaly County Council and the local municipal district say they will be more vigilant regarding offenders
CONCERNS were raised about various ongoing issues in relation to the control of dogs at the May meeting of Birr Municipal District.
Several councillors spoke on how the matter has affected the Birr area and how they believe that there must be stricter penalties enforced to combat the problems.
Administrative Officer for Climate Action, Environment and Rural Water with Offaly County Council, Mark Finlay provided an update on animal control at the latest meeting of the elected members.
In relation to control of dogs, he outlined: “So far in 2026, we cared for 76 dogs in the dog shelter. On average 15% of the dogs are reclaimed by their owners.15% are rehomed by the care of the Control of Dogs Team and the other 70% are rehomed through animal rescue charities.”
He added: “The Control of Dogs Team has also dealt with 53 complaints so far this year, including dog licence issues, straying dogs, dealing with dangerous dogs and sheep attacks.”
Mr. Finlay also mentioned that action had to be taken in the Birr area due to persistent problems with dog control.
He revealed: “Due to complaints from Birr Town regarding the control of dogs, we have provided signs to the MD team to be erected throughout Camcor Park reminding dog owners of their responsibilities.”
“We will be carrying out joint patrols along with the Birr Litter Warden in Camcor Park to raise awareness and enforcement, if necessary. We are also planning door-to-door dog license checks throughout the district.”
Councillor Peter Ormond queried the current enforcement strategy against these issues. He said: “In terms of the dog fouling, it’s an area I’ve seen huge improvement in but a lot of people have dogs now and you say it’s an on the spot fine of €150 but how is that actually implemented?”
He continued: “I ask because you can go to any town or village in the country and see people out with their dogs on the footpaths or in the green spaces such as GAA fields or Rugby fields. It's certainly not acceptable to have footpaths and public spaces getting destroyed.”
Mark Finlay addressed the Fianna Fáil representative’s concerns about dog fouling enforcement, responding: “We literally have to be there to see it happen. That’s why one of the things we will be doing is restarting our early morning patrols in Burke’s Hill and Camcor Park in Birr as well as various areas in Tullamore and Edenderry. “
He elaborated: “We patrol with the local warden where we will also check for licensing early in the morning because many people walk their dogs before work and let them off the leash.”
“It’s been flagged here in Birr at Camcor Park with complaints so that’ll be the first place we go to ensure dogs are kept on leashes. If they are fouling, the dog owners will be issued a fine but yes we do need to be there to witness it to enforce it.”
Councillor Audrey Hennessy Kennedy praised the plans but was adamant that there needs to be a collective effort from all sides in tackling the issue.
She stated: “Those initiatives that you will be putting in place for dog fouling would be greatly appreciated here in Birr. Much like littering, this is an issue that constantly comes to our doorsteps, so the more that we can do to try to alleviate it the better. However, dog owners need to step up to the mark and take responsibility.”
Councillor Sean Maher said: “There's a number of constituents who regularly walk in Camcor Park and they can get nervous when they see dogs running around loose so I welcome those measures that you are bringing in for that area. It’s also good to hear that you are doing checks on dog licences.”
The Sinn Féin representative followed up by asking: “I was just wondering if the money being brought in from licensing on a yearly basis could be reinvested back into animal welfare?”
The administrative officer assured Cllr Maher that the money would be recirculated in order to support initiatives in that area.
Birr MD Leas-Cathaoirleach John Leahy said that there must be a change in mindset and approach to see improvements. He believes: “On the topic of dog fouling, people come to me saying somebody’s dog has fouled nearby, but they won’t call the warden to report that the dog is walked there every morning at a certain time. We need a culture change and people need to take responsibility to report it happening to see results.”
Councillor Eleanor Clendennen also weighed in, communicating that action is vital for progress. She stated: “Dog fouling is a serious problem, we really need to try to enforce the fines. If a person sees somebody else getting fined, it might wake them up to actually taking responsibility themselves going forward.”
Mark Finlay noted all the elected members' assessments on the control of dogs within the district. He then concluded: “There is a commonality amongst the councillors about the control of dogs and dog fouling and Councillor Clendennen hit the nail on the head because it’s about enforcement.”
"Since Covid, we have been so busy minding the number of dogs in the shelters along with seizures and investigations that the enforcement may have slipped down the radar at times.”
"However, we did carry out the joint patrol between the litter warden and the dog warden, and it was very effective. We will do that again because we need that level of enforcement for the people who aren’t aware of their civil duty to do it.”