Dog Fouling
Bothered by dog poo?
If a dog is in your care for any length of time, it is your responsibility to clean up its mess. In fact, it is illegal to leave your dog's faeces lying around in a public area.
Reasons to clean up after your dog
Risking a fine - If you don't clean up after your dog, council staff or the police can issue you with a Fixed Penalty Notice of £40, which increases if it's not paid.
Public enemy No.1 - Dog fouling rates highly on any list of local complaints. In a nation-wide survey 69% of the Scottish public said that dog fouling bothered them more than any other type of litter and 52% singled it out as the type that offended them most.
Causing unpleasantness and embarrassment
Anyone who has stepped in dog faeces knows that it is dirty, smelly and difficult to clean off your shoe, which can be both unpleasant and embarrassing.
Spreading disease
If a dog owner leaves the mess on a path, as soon as someone steps into it, it spreads. Not only is this unsightly, but it can increase the risk of disease (Toxocara canis), which is harmful to humans.
So what am I supposed to do?
Always be prepared to clean up after your dog by taking a supply of bags and/or a poop-scoop with you every time you leave the house. (Your local council may provide special bags free of charge.) Or, if you have a garden, train your dog to "go" there before you take it for a walk.
Pick up the mess immediately and make sure you put used bags in the bin (preferably a special dog waste bin but a public waste bin or your own domestic bin would do as long as the bag is properly sealed). It is not enough to bag the faeces and throw it over a fence - or hang it on a tree. If you make a mental note of where public bins are on your walking route you will be able to dispose of the waste more quickly.
Encourage other dog owners to follow your example and act responsibly!
Exceptions to offence
The law says that every effort should be made to clean up after your dog. However, there are notable exceptions for working dogs (for example, a dog in the care of a blind or disabled person, sheep or cattle farmer, or army/customs/police or rescue officials). Please see the Dog Fouling (Scotland) Act 2003 for full details.
National Poop Scoop Week
The Dogs Trust and Keep Scotland Beautiful jointly promote National Poop Scoop Week throughout Scotland each summer. The campaign has adopted the 'Grab it, bag it, bin it' message to encourage dog owners be responsible and clean up after their pet. Please see www.keepscotlandtidy.org/poopscoop for more about the campaign and how you can get involved.