Bid to dump £100 fines on guilty dog owners
IS SELKIRK the dog-fouling capital of the Borders?
Speculation on that dubious status was fuelled last week by Councillor Kenneth Gunn during a debate on increased fines for irresponsible owners who refuse to clean up after their pets.
Mr Gunn told the monthly meeting of Scottish Borders Council that, when the schools returned after its extended break because of January’s heavy snow, no fewer than 199 piles of dog excrement were cleared from the area around Philiphaugh primary.
The unsavoury task was carried out by two community safety wardens, assisted by school staff.
Mr Gunn was supporting the call of Hawick councillor David Paterson to ask local authorities throughout Scotland, as well as the Scottish Government, to increase the 40 fixed penalty – the maximum the council could currently legally impose on errant dog owners.
And Mr Gunn also cited the fine example of a blind woman in Selkirk who always cleaned up the mess left by her guide dog. “If she can do it, there is no excuse for the rest of us,” he stated.
Earlier, Mr Paterson said he had seen for himself the problem of dog fouling, not only in Selkirk, but in Hawick, Jedburgh, Galashiels and Peebles.
He called for the the fines to be hiked up from 40 to 100 “for inconsiderate people who are still not prepared to clean up after their dogs”.
He stated: “I think the recent snow gave people an excuse to let their dogs foul, but did they really think it was going to disappear when the snow finally melted?”
“We have tried to educate people about bagging and binning, but it is clearly not working. They have no civic pride and should be hit firmly in the pocket. We’ve tried the carrot approach – now it’s time for the stick!”
Like Mr Gunn, Councillor Len Wyse, SBC’s executive member for environmental services, said he supported the motion in principle, but urged that the penalty should be increased to 80.
“The feeling is that the punishment should fit the crime and we would probably not get the support of other councils or the minister for community safety [Alex Ewing MSP] if we went too high,” he added.
Mr Paterson, who said he was unwilling to compromise on the 100 minimum penalty, received support from Councillor Catriona Bhatia, SBC’s executive member for education.
“This is a great move,” said Ms Bhatia. “I am liberal about most things, but not about dog fouling which is absolutely disgusting. With our kids trailing this mess into schools, nurseries and their own homes, it is a serious health hazard and amounts, in my view, to low level anti-social behaviour.”
On a division, Mr Paterson’s motion urging the 100 fine was carried by 17 votes to 13.
Mr Gunn said later that he had supported the 80 fine as being more realistic, but added: “Enforcement is the key ... we have 12 community safety wardens in the Borders and they need public support in bringing irresponsible dog owners to book.”
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Weather for Selkirk
Friday 25 May 2012
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Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
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