Councillor Dominic Molloy has called on Mid Ulster District Council to explore the possibility of creating a DNA database for all registered dogs in the district, so that dog fouling could be traced back to individual dogs and their irresponsible owners.
Speaking at last Thursday’s (April 10) Development committee meeting of the local authority, the Sinn Féin representative for Dungannon DEA stated: “The issue has been raised numerous times in council around dog fouling.
“I’ve been contacted by a number of residents in the Moy last week in relation to dog fouling on pavements, and we know across our villages and towns it is an endemic problem.
“I heard a report earlier in the week, in relation to Belfast City Council, and someone was suggesting about the possibility of DNA testing, which has been mooted here before as well in relation to dogs.
“Whenever dogs are chipped, DNA samples are taken, and then it can relate back to dog fouling as well as it can be tested.
“Each council, on its own merit, is not going to put in that kind of testing solely stand-alone, but I think if the 11 councils were to come together and costed [this] as a project, that may be rolled out across all council areas.”
Cllr Molloy clarified later on that funding could be sourced from ICBAN (Irish Central Border Area Network) or some other agency, and he explained that DNA testing is already a well-established process in parts of the agri-food sector, to cross-check breeds and enable food traceability.
Committee chair, Councillor Kyle Black (DUP, Carntogher DEA), said he was supportive of the proposal.
“Thank you for that, Cllr Molloy, I think you’re right, it’s one of the topics which is continuously coming up, and probably the same across all councils, so if there’s a project that can be looked at to see if it’s feasible with regard to trying to tackle the issue,” said Cllr Black.
“Anything that can be done to try and do that, I think is worth exploring, so I take your proposal and I think it’s something that’s worth merit, at least looking at to see is it feasible.”
Councillor Barry Monteith (Independent, Dungannon DEA) suggested contacting county councils across the border, where the practice is being looked into: “I myself raised that previously, [bringing] a private company in, so I’m happy enough to second Cllr Molloy.
“I know Leitrim County Council, and maybe a number of other county councils in the 26 counties, had investigated this previously, so it may be an opportunity to speak to them.”
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