A YOUNG girl sustained a serious facial injury, after slipping in dog dirt. Thankfully, the five year-old is making a good recovery from the still painful injuries to her cheek, eye socket and forehead. The incident occurred in the Tullybrannigan area of Newcastle.
Last week’s incident has prompted a local councillor, with the little girl’s family’s permission, to again appeal for dog owners to clean up after their pets. Laura Devlin said images she received, outlining the injuries sustained, were shocking and that they could have led to even further complications. She said she was relieved, after speaking with her mother, to hear the girl was making progress – and that initially it had been feared the little girl’s face was fractured.
The local SDLP representative said dog owners need “to be more responsible” and highlighted the potential risks posed when coming in contact with dog mess. “The absolute majority of dog owners do what is needed and clean up after their pets. However, there are those who don’t and it is these people who are to blame,” said Councillor Devlin. This is an issue I have raised on many occasions previously. “However, just last week a young child slipped in dog dirt in the Tullybrannigan area. “The child’s face was cut and badly bruised. “So much so the family feared her face was fractured, as she was in such pain. How is this fair?”
Confirming that she has asked the district council to carry out a clean-up operation in the area, as well as “increased enforcement,” Mrs Devlin added that “those who do not clean up after their dogs deserve to be fined.” She added: “As a parent, cleaning dog dirt from shoes, pram wheels etc is disgusting, never mind the risk posed to people’s health and vision following contact with it. “I am again reiterating my appeal to local people to ensure they lift their dog dirt and dispose of it in a responsible manner as I do not want to see or hear of another poor child being injured when the matter is totally avoidable if people take the appropriate action.”
Cllr Devlin concluded that she was relieved to get an update from the child’s mother, to hear that her daughter is “now recovering well”. “The family are keen for this incident to be highlighted as they want to encourage people to pick up after their pets, as this situation could have been so much worse.”