Pick up the poop with Longford's Maxi Zoo

It is a public health concern and nuisance that is increasingly being discussed as one of the major urban issues in Ireland.

In fact, during the recent local elections, one of the biggest complaints that many candidates heard on the doorsteps of Ireland, was the issue of dog fouling - and were asked if elected what would the candidates do about it.

In light of this, Maxi Zoo, Ireland’s largest pet retailer, commissioned a survey to look into dog owners attitudes and behaviours on the subject of dog fouling.

Interestingly, with over 2,000 responses, the survey found that 93% of dog owners believe that it is socially unacceptable to leave dog poop on the ground, however one in 10 of those asked felt embarrassed when they had to pick up their dog’s poop in public.

Other findings showed that 95% of respondents believe that there are not enough dog waste bins in their local area; one in 10 people would leave their dog's poop on the ground if it was off path in a woodland area; over half of dog walkers admitted they would not pick up another dogs poop - even if it was next to their own; and 53% of dogowners would choose degradable or biodegradable plastic poop bags. For further information, see www.maxizoo.ie or @MaxiZooIreland on Facebook.