Dog owners across the region are being encouraged to clean up after their pets as part of Vision Ireland’s campaign, Clear Our Paths. The call comes after Vision Ireland published a survey exploring people who are blind or vision impaired’s experiences of footpath obstacles. Over a third of respondents were impacted b by dog waste in public spaces.

There were no dog fouling fines issued in Mayo last year, 2023. Overall, very few dog fouling fines were issued across the country – just 46, a reduction of 36 fines from 2022. Kerry County Council had the highest number of fines for dog fouling offences, with just 13 issued. 18 out of the 31 local authorities issued no fines at all. 

While the number of fines issued across the country was low, Vision Ireland has welcomed efforts by local authorities to help reduce dog fouling. A number of councils have run awareness campaigns in order to highlight the issue of dog fouling.

Cars parked on footpaths also have an adverse impact on the ability of people who are blind or vision impaired to navigate public spaces. 70% of survey respondents identified parked cars as blocking their route when using public paths. Data provided by local authorities revealed that over 22,000 fines were issued to motorists who parked on footpaths. There were 172 parking on footpath fines issued in Mayo in 2023. 

Kevin Kelly, Head of Policy, Partnerships and External Affairs at Vision Ireland said, “Parked cars and dog waste are two of the biggest hazards people who are blind and vision impaired in Mayo face on our footpaths.

Vision Ireland is encouraging motorists and dog owners to consider the hazards they may be creating and how they can affect people who are blind or vision impaired. The organisation has created a dedicated web page to assist those in learning more about how to Clear Our Paths. Find out more here: Clear Our Paths