Complaints on rise in Highlands over delinquent dogs
Delinquent dogs are making life a misery in Highland neighbourhoods with more than 200 people complaining to the council just in the first quarter of this year.
Nearly 900 complaints were lodged last year with 118 owners investigated under the Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act and 23 Dog Control Notices issued.
Otherwise known as "dog ASBOs", these notices order owners to keep their pet on a lead, have it neutered, or attend dog training and behaviour courses.
The most complaints were about Collies, German Shepherds and Staffordshire Bull Terriers.
Of the 118 investigations launched, two cases were from Badenoch and Strathspey with a Dog ASBO issued to the owner of an Akita.
The large breed of dog originates from the mountainous northern regions of Japan.
Fourteen cases were investigated in Inverness where four owners were slapped with Dog Asbos for a Collie, a mongrel, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and a Ridgeback Staffordshire Bull Terrier cross.
And there were 11 investigations in Nairn with three Dog ASBO’s issued to the owners of a Wolf-hybrid, a Collie and a Lurcher.
The statistics also show that dog wardens across Highland last year picked up 226 stray dogs.
Owners have a week to collect them and if not claimed the animals are re-homed through Munlochy Animal Aid or KWK9 in Caithness.
Of the 226 dogs uplifted last year, 48 were re-homed and the rest were collected by their owners. No dogs were put to sleep.
June Ross, the council official who oversees the dog control enforcement team, said pet owners should take more responsibility.
"A lot of the problems stem from the way the dog is being looked after," she said. "In most cases it’s the owners that need a good talking to – not the pets."
She explained that dog control notices are not used for dangerous dogs. Those situations are dealt with by Police Scotland.
The Scottish Government launched new measures in 2011 to prosecute owners of out -of -control dogs amid growing concern at the number of attacks on people across the country.
The Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act closed a loophole which previously meant that if a dog or child was attacked by a dog in the animal’s own home, the owner could not be legally held responsible unless the animal was classified as a dangerous breed.
