Kilkee dogs indulge in unwelcome business

THE behaviour of Kilkee dogs, horses and their owners was placed under intense scrutiny at Monday’s meeting of the town council. Several councillors claimed dogs are flagrantly defecating on the street and on the beach, while their owners are not cleaning up after them.
“Dogs do their business on the footpaths and there’s no clean-up,” Mayor of Kilkee Claire Haugh commented.
Her town council colleague, Lily Marrinan Sullivan, noted that dogs aren’t the only animals leaving their mark on the street and at the beach. She said horses are also culpable.
“I’d say we’d agree that their deposit would be substantially larger than that of a dog,” Councillor Marrinan Sullivan observed.
Under Kilkee beach bylaws adopted in April 2010 and introduced on June 1 of that year, dogs and horses are not allowed on the beach from 11am to 6pm during the summer and are only allowed onto the beach while under supervision or on a leash, during designated hours. An exemption has been made for the annual Strand Races.
Kilkee town clerk John Corry informed the meeting that the litter warden, appointed this week, will patrol the beach, while gardaí can also enforce beach bylaws.
While the meeting heard that a proportion of the dogs involved are owned by visitors to the town, a high percentage are local.
“I have to say there’s quite a number of the local dogs at it,” Councillor Marrinan Sullivan said, before stating wheelchair users have to navigate around the unsightly deposits on the town streets.
Councillor Mary Owens started the debate when forwarding a motion asking that Clare County Council erect a sign at Allenders Field, stating no dogs are allowed in.
However, town engineer Derek Troy told the meeting further bylaws would have to be introduced for that to happen. However, he did say that signs telling dog owners to keep their dog on a leash could be erected. He added that a dog not on a leash is considered a stray and can be handed over to Clare County Council dog warden Frankie Coote.
“If it’s not under control on a leash, it’s a stray dog,” Mr Troy confirmed.
The town council decided to acquire bags into which dog waste could be placed and to locate the bags around the town.