A ROSYTH councillor wants the fine for dog fouling offences to rocket to £200 and to name and shame owners who don’t pick up after their pets.

Pat Callaghan wants to hit offenders in the pocket by increasing the fixed penalty as well as identifying them. Currently the fine is £40 but he wants to see it increase five-fold to mirror the £200 minimum penalty given to fly-tippers.

“There is a distinct anomaly between the penalty fines for fly tipping and dog fouling,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned it’s the same, and both should start at £200.

“£40 is absolutely not a deterrent. If the fine was a minimum of £200 and the offenders were named and shamed that would stop it almost instantly. There needs to be a zero tolerance policy in terms of fines.” Fife Council’s bid has to be agreed by the Scottish Government and Cllr Callaghan said, “It’s not only a nuisance but it’s passing on disease to our children. Our parks should be safe places for our children to play without fear of stepping in dog mess. I ask all dog owners to be responsible and pick up after their dogs. There’s no excuse. Everyone can help by reporting instances of dog fouling to the council. We can serve fixed penalty notices based on the evidence provided by a reliable witness. Even if a witness is not willing to come forward with a statement, information that helps us identify an offender and the best time to catch them walking their dog is useful.”