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Waterford City and County Council’s Environment Department has produced an educational anti-dog fouling resource pack for Waterford’s national schools which emphasises responsible dog ownership.

Ella Ryan, Environmental Awareness Officer with Waterford City and County Council said, “The idea behind the education packs is to start a discussion with children about the hazards of dog poo.  We all know it’s unsightly and smelly, but discarded dog poo can pose a health hazard as it contains harmful bacteria such as E-coli and parasites like roundworm.

“Not only that, parents with buggies, children, and vulnerable groups such as wheelchair users and the visually impaired, are particularly at risk of stepping in or wheeling through dog poo, and being exposed to health implications, not to mention the unpleasantness and inconvenience of getting poo on shoes, hands or wheels.”

The Bag It Bin It education pack has been distributed to all national schools in Waterford city and county.  It includes lesson plans and worksheets for teachers, along with crossword puzzles, colouring pages and stories that highlight the importance of cleaning up your dog’s waste by bagging it and binning it.

Kieran O’Sullivan, Principal of Faithlegg National School said the education packs have been very well received by both students and teachers. “Great work has been done to raise awareness of the issue of dog fouling on footpaths, trails and parks, but this education pack has heightened the significance of this amongst our students. They have learned about the health hazards it can pose, and how harmful it is to the environment.

“All dog owners have a civic responsibility to clean up after their dogs and if we all bag it and bin it, we can protect our communities, our wildlife and our outdoor spaces.”

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Image: Ella Ryan WCCC with Alison Walsh and Jack O’Sullivan from Cheekpoint/Faithlegg Tidy Towns and members of Faithlegg National School Student Council.