Dog Fouling

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council has powers to protect and improve the quality of the environment for our local community.

The Council spends a considerable amount of money each year to keep the towns and villages of the district clean and tidy. However dropping litter, chewing gum, cigarette butts and dog fouling remain a constant problem, despite the availability of litter bins and numerous public recycling facilities available.

Under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act (NI) 2011 councils have powers to deal with environmental issues such as dog fouling.

The Council takes the enforcement of this legislation very seriously and is committed to ensuring that it is implemented.

Fouling of Land by Dogs (Fermanagh & Omagh District Council) Order 2017
Fermanagh & Omagh District Council has introduced a Fouling of Land by Dogs (Fermanagh & Omagh District Council) Order 2017 which took effect from 27 July 2017. A copy of the Order is available to download. 

Fines
Council officers’ conduct regular inspections throughout the Fermanagh and Omagh district.

A Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) of £100 is issued for dog fouling offences. All fines will be discounted to £80 for early payment, within 14 working days. Non-payment of a Fixed Penalty Notice could lead to prosecution, with the possibility of higher fines.

Help us clamp down on dog fouling by reporting it to Dog Control via :

Telephone: 0300 303 1777 (all calls charged at local rate)
Textphone: 028 8225 6216
Email: dogcontrol@fermanaghomagh.com

We will want to know:

• Where the dog fouling is – the exact location will really help, include street names, areas, or landmarks.
• The time you think the dog fouling happens – do you know what time the offending dog is usually walked?
• What the dog looks like – if you know the colour, breed or size this will help us identify the offender.
• Who is it – If you know who the offender is then it makes it easier to focus resources at the problem.

Advice

Always pick up dog waste and put it in the nearest litter bin. You can use any plastic bag and any litter bin, including your black bin at home. Don’t put dog waste in your blue or brown bins as this will contaminate them.

It is important that dog owners realise that the mess left by their dog is both a nuisance and a serious health hazard.  Dog faeces can contain a number of things which can make people ill, best known of which is the infection caused by toxocara canis. Further information on Toxocara is available to download.

Tips 

• Carry a plastic bag or ‘poop scoop’ with you
• Teach your dog to go to the toilet in your garden before you leave home
• Never let your dog onto the street to foul

Free Dog Bag Dispensers are available to collect from the following Council locations:

• Killyvilly Depot, Enniskillen
• Gortrush Depot, Omagh
• The Grange, Omagh
• Townhall, Enniskillen
• Lakeland Forum, Enniskillen
• Connect Centre, Omagh
• Enniskillen Castle
• Irvinestown Arc Centre
• Bawnacre Centre

For further information relating to the Order please contact the Council’s Building Control & Licensing service, by telephoning 0300 303 1777.