Fines plan to clean up dog dirt

Dog mess is the target of a new Holyrood Bill

Dog owners who let their pets foul in public places could face on-the-spot fines under a Bill launched by a Scottish Tory.

Keith Harding has put the Bill before the Scottish Parliament because he does not believe existing laws are strict enough.

Under his Dog Fouling (Scotland) Bill, dog owners would be issued with on-the-spot £40 fines for failing to clean up after their pets.

The regional MSP for Mid-Scotland and Fife has already won support for the move from MSPs across the parliament.

Keith Harding is a dog owner

Mr Harding said he was "optimistic" the Scottish Executive would fully back it.

At present two police officers are required as witnesses for corroboration if a dog owner's pet fouls a public place.

Mr Harding said: "Quite rightly police time is devoted to tackling more serious offences and therefore they are unable to spend enough time on this matter to make the legislation effective."

He said the Bill would make dog fouling a civil offence thereby bypassing the need for procurator fiscals who have more important offences to consider.

The MSP, who has worked on the Bill for two years, said the penalties could be imposed by council employees such as park wardens or refuse workers.

He accepted that the refusal of dog walkers to confess their name and address when challenged could pose a problem.

However, he said dog owners usually took their pets on the same routes and that local dog foul enforcers would catch up with them eventually.

Jack McConnell is receptive to the idea

The MSP did not rule out the possibility of contracting out the administration of fines to a private firm, as happened with Edinburgh's parking enforcement.

"We could have the Brown Meanies instead of the Blue Meanies," he said.

He is proposing that the revenue raised from fines would go to the local council, who could use it to put up more litter bins.

Mr Harding, who is also a member of Stirling Council, said dog fouling has been the biggest source of complaints during his 15 years as a councillor.

The MSP frequently walks his own Boxer, Tika, near his Dunblane home, and said he hopes the Bill could become law by next Easter.

First Minister Jack McConnell last week signalled that the executive would consider sympathetically ideas from any quarter to tackle quality-of-life issues like dog-fouling, graffiti and vandalism.