Case against woman who failed to clean up dog poo on Cork street struck out in lieu of €200 charity donation

Dog poo on North Main Street today cost the owner of the dog €200.

Ritcayong Chuchat (62) who lives at North Main Street, Cork, had no previous convictions of any kind.

Garda Gheorghe Rosu prosecuted her under the Litter Pollution Act 1997 on a charge stating that: 'On February 4 at North Main Street, being a person in charge of a dog, she did fail to immediately remove any faeces deposited in the said place by the said dog.” 

Asked if she was pleading guilty or not guilty to the count, she said she was pleading guilty and did not wish to have legal representation.

Sergeant Aisling Murphy said that at the time and place: “The owner of the dog failed to remove dog litter from the footpath where she clearly had seen what the dog left behind. On request from the gardaí she then removed the litter. She claimed that the dog was marking its territory.” 

Judge David Waters said that her comment to the garda on the day showed a lack of understanding.

Ritcayong Chuchat said: “I didn’t realise, I thought it was just pee, not poo.” 

In view of the absence of any previous convictions, the judge said that rather than convicting and fining her he would give her the option of having the case struck out on payment of €200 to the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. 

Ms Chuchat said she would take that opportunity and it was struck out later in the day when she made the contribution to charity.