Dogs

Since April 2016 it has been compulsory for all dogs over eight weeks old in Scotland to be microchipped. The Microchipping of Dogs (Scotland) Regulations 2016 require your dog be implanted with a microchip and their details registered and kept up to date on a compliant database.

For more information about microchipping regulations and how they are enforced visit mygov.scot.

Dog owners have a legal duty to clean up every time their dog fouls in a public place.

It is an offence if you do not clean up after your dog and may result in a fixed penalty notice of £80. It is an offence not to provide your name and address to the officer when asked and it could result in a fine of £500.

If the fines are not paid it may be referred to sheriff officers who will recover payment from you which will also include their fees. If the matter is not referred to sheriff officers, it will be sent to the procurator fiscal.

You can report dog fouling here.

More information on dog fouling legislation is available here (links to external website).

Safer Communities Officers are responsible for dealing with dog fouling complaints and can be contacted on 03451 550022, or email safercommunities.officers@fife.gov.uk.

It’s normal and natural for dogs to bark but when barking happens a lot, or goes on for a long time, it can be annoying and upsetting for neighbours. If the dog owner is out a lot they might not realise just how bad it is or they may just be used to the barking.

A dog barking problem is most likely to be resolved when people discuss things calmly and work out a solution between themselves.

The Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act 2010 promotes responsible dog ownership and ensures that dogs which are out of control are brought and kept under control. It also seeks to prevent dogs becoming dangerous in order to help reduce, and prevent, future dog attacks. Under the Act, Scottish local authorities have the power to take action against irresponsible dog owners and enforce measures to improve such behaviour.

How does it work in practice?

We will investigate and record reports received involving dogs which are out of control. An authorised officer will carry out an investigation and if they identify that the dog is out of control, the owner will be either offered advice, issued a warning letter, or have a dog control notice (DCN) served on them.

When is a dog ‘out of control'? 

Under the definition of the Act, a dog is deemed to be ‘out of control’ if:

• it is not being kept under control effectively and consistently (by whatever means) by the owner who is in charge of the dog;

and

• its behaviour gives rise to alarm, or apprehensiveness on the part of any individual (and the individual’s alarm or apprehensiveness is reasonable).

Apprehensiveness may be in relation to the individuals own safety, the safety of another person, or the safety of an animal other than the dog in question.

The definition of ‘out of control ‘is written so that both parts of the test must be met in order for an authorised officer to be able to serve a DCN.

What is a dog control notice?

A dog control notice (DCN) is a notice which places conditions on the owner to keep their dog under control and keep others safe by aiming to prevent further incidents.

It may include (but is not limited to) conditions such as:

• keeping the dog on a lead in public;
• muzzling the dog in public;
• neutering, and
• attending and completing suitable dog training courses.

All dogs which are subject to a DCN must be microchipped and registered within 14 days of issue, if not already microchipped.

In line with guidance from the Scottish Government, we will not notify complainants of any restrictions placed on a dog once a decision is made to issue a DCN.

Once a DCN has been issued, our dog wardens will monitor to check that the owner is complying with it. Failing to comply with a DCN is an offence under the Act and may result in the matter being reported to the procurator fiscal and ultimately a fine of up to £1000 and/or being disqualified from keeping a dog. The sheriff may also order that the dog should be destroyed.

What to do if you see a dog out of control

Dog control officers are responsible for dealing with out of control dog complaints and can be contacted by:

• phone on 03451 550022, or
• email safercommunities.officers@fife.gov.uk.

If a dog is dangerously out of control in any place (for example, bites or attempts to bite a person or seriously injures or kills another animal) this should be reported immediately to the Police  by calling 101.

Stray dogs are uplifted under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 Section 149 (3).

The dog will be taken to Fife Council approved kennels, unless veterinary treatment is required. If it's safe to do so, the dog will be scanned or checked for ownership details. We will then make every effort to contact the dog owner.

If your dog's lost and you think that it may have been uplifted by us, please contact us on 03451 55 00 22. Alternatively, you can try calling the kennels directly:

• Whitehill Kennels, Crossgates, Cowdenbeath KY4 8EX. 01383 860126

Costs

You will be liable for a cost before reclaiming your dog. Dogs must be claimed within seven days of uplift. All costs are payable to the kennel provider.

The charge from 1st April 2021 is £72 (£25 Prescribed Fee, £47 Detention costs) to recover your dog from the kennel. If your dog has received veterinary treatment, you will also be liable for these costs.

Please note, the kennels only accept cash and it must be paid in full when you collect your dog. We don't allow payment in arrears.

Dogs kept for more than seven days becomes the property of the kennel owner. They have the right to sell it after this time. All stray dogs that haven't been collected by day four will be vaccinated in preparation for them being moved onto being re-homed.

Reporting a stray dog

You can report a stray dog by calling us on 03451 55 00 22, Monday to Friday, between 8am and 5pm.

After 5pm, please contact your local police station on 101.

Keeping a stray dog

You must let us know as soon as you can if you've found a stray dog.

You can keep a stray dog that you find, however, you must keep the dog for a period of at least two months and you can't sell it on. This is because it can still be claimed by the legal owner during this time.

Fife Council have established a new dog accreditation scheme for professional dog walking companies.

With the number of professional dog walking companies increasing, companies and dog walkers are aware of the different standards of care being offered.

This voluntary scheme gives companies the opportunity to understand the requirements for best practice and offers reassurance to owners who are seeking a dog walker for their pet.

The scheme is available for all dog walking companies who regularly exercise dogs in Fife, not just those who are based here.

If this is something that you would be interested in joining and for more information please email safercommunities.projectofficers@fife.gov.uk

Dog Watch services

Here is our list of approved professional dog walkers: