Increasing the fine for dog fouling is unlikely to stop the “aberrant behaviour” of many dog owners, a vet has argued. 

From September, on the spot fines for dog fouling and littering will increase from €150 to €250.

However, Limerick based vet Donal Ryan said he would be “pleasantly surprised if it made any difference”. 

He said local councils allocate few resources to tackling dog fouling and that he does not expect this to change. 

“Unfortunately, it's an awful experience if you stand in it or for people who might put their wheelchair or their child's buggy rolling through it, it's not pleasant,” he told The Claire Byrne Show. 

“The big issue is the disease, a particular disease associated with dog fouling, a disease called Toxocariasis, which is a type of disease that's called a zoonosis.

“In children, it can lead to blindness.”

A Yorkshire terrier dog in the sun with flowers. Picture by: byAZ3 / Alamy.

According to data released by Vision Ireland, there were only 48 fines issued for dog fouling in Ireland in 2024 and Mr Ryan said he doubted this figure would increase anytime soon. 

“To my knowledge, there's two dog wardens in Limerick,” he said. 

“Will it be the dog warden's responsibility? Will the Guards be pursuing it and dealing with this? 

“I don't know what the answer to that will be. But then it also comes down to, you know, evidence, because how do you go to court and prove that your dog or your brown dog or my brown dog did the poo on the footpath?” 

Wicklow County Council has previously considered using DNA testing to track down owners who do not pick up after their dogs. 

However, Mr Ryan questioned whether there are the resources for this. 

“It's all down to who's going to pay for it, because I don't know that there is the option now for animals to do DNA testing for disease purposes,” he said. 

“It's technically available, I'm not familiar with the cost. 

“Is the cost going to fall on me, the dog owner, or is the cost going to fall on the taxpayer as who should be paying for all this? I don't know.” 

A Border collie dog cooling off in the sea. Picture by: Alamy.com.

Overall, Mr Ryan believes far too many dog owners do not behave responsibly. 

“A lot of people don't put leashes on their dogs,” he added. 

“You can often see people are entirely careless or oblivious to other footpath users; in other words, they don't keep the dog under adequate control, even though the dog is on a leash.

“You see a lot of aberrant behaviour in dog owners that is just part and parcel of life.”

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