Cllr bitten over restricted breeds backing Ashbourne 'Doggie Day'
NOELLE FINEGAN
In May 2016, Ashbourne councillor Alan Tobin found himself on the receiving end of an international backlash on social media following his comments in relation to restricted breed dogs where he said it still amazed him that some people felt they were “ideal family pets”.
Now, more than two years on Cllr Tobin is showing he is a doggy lover at heart by organising Ashbourne Tidy Towns' first 'Doggie Day' which takes place in the town from 10am to 2pm on Sunday.
The Fine Gael councillor is still amazed by the furore he unleashed following what he thought were harmless comments and pointed out that he has always been a dog owner and recently qualified as one of 12 first responders for wildlife emergencies.
His facebook post welcoming the erection of public information notices showing restricted or listed breeds of dogs and owners' obligations went viral prompting a furious backlash as dog owners around the world went barking mad. It was viewed over 44 million times and attracted more than 270,000 comments.
“The Irish reaction was very balanced and a lot of people said I was dead right. It was people in other countries that couldn't get their heads around it where there are different regimes and the comments were so nasty.”
On Sunday, dogs will centre of attention in Ashbourne for this first free 'Doggie Day' which begins outside the library at 10am with two walk options- a 4km and 7km walk/run. Participants will pass the new dog foul bins and bag dispensers, which helped Ashbourne Tidy Towns win the 'National Scoop the Poop' awards at the National Tidy Towns Competition this year. There is a text system in place, so when a bin is full, the public text the bin number to a dedicated mobile number and the bin is emptied within 24 hours.
The walk/run finishes at Village Vets with treats, followed by activities in the linear park including dog agility with John Bowe, dog behaviour classes with Julie Holmes, the Garda dog unit, novelty competitions and nose to tail health checks by Village Vets nurses.