Irresponsible owners pay the penalty for dog fouling
The fine for dog fouling has doubled. Irresponsible owners who fail to pick up after their pets now have to pay ÂŁ80 in fines.
The fine for dog fouling has doubled.
Irresponsible owners who fail to pick up after their pets now have to pay an ÂŁ80 fine.
Paul Wheelhouse, the Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs, said: “Dog fouling is not only unpleasant, it can also pose potentially significant risks to health, particularly to children.
“We are clear that dog owners who do not clear up after their pets are breaking the law.
“We believe the increased penalty will act as a greater deterrent for people who do not take responsibility for their pets. “
The Scottish Household Survey 2013 and 2014 found almost one third of people said dog fouling, animal noise or animal nuisance was a very or fairly common problem.
Derek Robertson, Chief Executive of Keep Scotland Beautiful, said:
“Dog fouling is at its highest level in a decade in our streets and open spaces, so we welcome the doubling of the fixed penalty notice for dog fouling, a measure supported by 63 per cent of people asked in a YouGov Poll commissioned by Keep Scotland Beautiful in August 2015.”
New legislation increases the penalty from ÂŁ40 to ÂŁ80.
The Scottish Government will also look at how more unpaid fines can be collected.