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Professional dog walkers may soon need permission to operate in the Stirling area as part of measures to tackle dog fouling.
Stirling Council officials told the authority’s environment and housing committee last Thursday there had been an issue with dog walkers throughout the country.
They are considering bringing in an accreditation scheme, following in the footsteps of Dundee, one of the first councils to introduce such a measure.
Officers added: “This is in the very early stages and we are in discussions with our colleagues in East and West Dunbartonshire to look at bringing in such a scheme.
“Throughout the country there has been an issue with dog walkers, not just in relation to fouling but in keeping control of large numbers of dogs.”
Green councillor Alasdair Tollemache said: “There are firms that walk dogs now and I’m not convinced, when they are walking six or seven dogs at a time, that they pick everything up.”
The committee heard that new strategies had already been developed by the safer communities team to tackle dog fouling, particularly in rural areas.
There had been a focus on the issue in October with increased patrols, when six penalty notices had been issued.
Officials said cameras had been set up in some hotspots and there had been interaction with community councils and intelligence gathering from locals.
Some of the information received had suggested some walkers were not necessarily local but were travelling with their dogs to other communities to allow them to foul.
Asked by SNP councillor Evelyn Tweed if darker nights increased the problem, officials added: “Traditionally it gets worse when the nights are darker, if the dog runs off and the owner can’t see it for example, but we certainly see a spike in complaints in the winter months.”
Tory councillor Ross Oxburgh said: “For a long time we would have seen zero notices issued but I think the new strategy is fantastic.
“I don’t doubt this is happening in rural areas but I would also like an update on urban areas as well.”