Dog Fouling (Scotland) Act 2003

1 Offence

(1) Subject to section 3, if a dog defecates at any time upon any place to which this Act applies and a person who is in charge of the dog at that time fails immediately to remove the faeces from the place, that person shall be guilty of an offence unless—

(a) the person has a reasonable excuse for failing to do so; or

(b) the owner, occupier and other person or authority having control of the place has consented (generally or specifically) to the person failing to do so.

(2) A person who is guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 2 on the standard scale.

(3) For the purposes of this section—

(a) a person who habitually has possession of a dog shall be taken to be in charge of the dog at any time unless at that time some other person is in charge of the dog;

(b) placing the faeces in a receptacle which is provided for the purpose, or for the disposal of waste, shall be sufficient removal from the place;

(c) throwing, depositing, dropping or otherwise putting the faeces onto any other place to which this Act applies shall not be sufficient removal from the place; and

(d) being unaware of the defecation (whether by reason of not being in the vicinity or otherwise), or not having a device for or other suitable means of removing the faeces, shall not be a reasonable excuse for failing to remove the faeces.

(4) In any proceedings for an offence under this section it shall be lawful to convict the accused on the evidence of one witness.