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"Beach dog ban will help
tourism"
28.08.07
A FREE 'poop-a-scoop'
is to be given to dog owners visiting Lisfannon's
Blue Flag beach under a new pilot scheme being
launched shortly.
It comes ahead of a motion to be tabled next month
by Moville-based local representative, Cllr. Marian
McDonald, calling for bye-laws to ban dogs from the
county's beaches and scenic walkways. |
Cllr. McDonald's motion
will be brought at a meeting of Donegal County
Council on September 17th.
"I would say I will get the full backing of the
Council on this problem. You can hardly go for a
walk on the county's beaches or scenic walkways
without having to avoid dog dirt," said Cllr.
McDonald.
"I know of a couple who used to visit Moville's
Shore Path regularly but don't come anymore because
they have to keep watching for the dog mess.
Similarly, there was a fight between three dogs at
Shroove beach on Friday and the children were
terrified."
Cllr. McDonald knows she will incur the wrath |
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of dog owners
throughout the county with her hard-hitting proposal
but she is prepared for the criticism.
"I know this is not going to be a popular proposal
but something has to be done to protect our Blue
Flag beaches and scenic walkways both for locals and
tourists and from an health and environmental
perspective.
"People will still be able to take their dogs on the
public road and up through the hills as long as they
keep them on a leash and take a 'poop-a-scoop' with
them to clean up after their pets," she said.
If the Fianna Fail councillor's motion is carried,
the draft bye-laws would be opened to public
consultation.
Meanwhile, Donegal County Council staff will be on
seven Blue Flag beaches over the coming weeks
distributing the biodegradable poop-a-scoops.
Receptacles containing the scoops will also be
located in a visible spot at each of the beaches.
The scheme will be introduced at Fintra, Narin,
Lisfannon, Rossnowlagh, Kilhoey, Marble Hill and
Murvagh. Cllr. McDonald said she would press for the
scheme to be rolled out to all the Blue Flag beaches
in the county including Shroove. |
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