- Noise

- Litter

- Fly tipping

- Dog Fouling

- Dog Noise

Noise
Noisy radios or television sets, excessively loud music or parties, can have a detrimental effect on peoples quality of life. Even simple things like washing machines or DIY tools being used at times when neighbours are trying to sleep, can in the most serious cases be deemed to be antisocial behaviour.

If you have a problem of persistent or unreasonable noise levels then your landlord should be contacted if you live in rented accommodation.

Find out more about Neighbourhood Noise. (412 – Pollution Control – noise)

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 Litter
Dropping litter, dumping household or commercial waste on land not specified for that purpose is unsightly, unpleasant and is an environmental crime! Many people regard the spoiling of our towns and countryside with litter as antisocial behaviour.

The Council and its partners, including Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary and Civic Pride, are determined to stamp this out by improving services, education and enforcement.

There are now five Environment Enforcement Officers employed across Dumfries and Galloway. They regularly patrol our towns and villages, providing anti-littering advice and when the situation demands, they can also issue fixed penalty notices to those who carelessly discard litter.

A £50 fixed penalty notice can be incurred by dropping litter in the street, and a fine set by a court for non payment could be as much as £2500.

Find out more about Litter. (580 - Refuse – litter – removal)

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Fly Tipping
Fly tipping is an aggravated form of littering and can often involve dumping larger amounts of domestic or commercial waste.

Environmental Enforcement Officers can issue fixed penalty notices to those who spoil our countryside through fly tipping. The most serious cases can be prosecuted through the courts and can incur fines of up to £40,000 and/or a six month prison sentence.

Find out more about Fly Tipping. (587 – Refuse – Flytipping)

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Dog Fouling
Dogs can be a great enhancement to family life, offering companionship to many people across Scotland. However, dog owners have a responsibility to ensure that their animals do not cause a nuisance to members of the public.

Each year, the Council receives many complaints regarding dogs fouling pavements, footpaths or leisure areas. Where owners fail to clean up this mess, not only can this be regarded as antisocial behaviour, it can also lead to the issue of a fixed penalty notice or even criminal proceedings through the Courts.

As well as the unpleasant nature of dog fouling on footpaths, parks or other areas, there are significant health risks which arise from dog faeces left in public spaces. Responsible dog owners are welcome to use the free poop scoop bags provided by the Council, obtainable from local Council offices.

Find out more about Dog Fouling (link to Dog Fouling page).

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Dog Noise
Loud and persistent barking by dogs can also cause distress to neighbours, and in serious cases, can amount to antisocial behaviour. If this goes unchecked by owners, it can lead to complaints, which might in turn involve landlords, Council Officers, or Police being contacted.

Owners who refuse or are unable to control their dogs barking to such an extent that it is impacting on the quality of life of neighbours run the risk of having to pay a fixed penalty, or to be summoned to a Court appearance.

Individuals also have the right to take actions themselves against the owners of "noisy" or "nuisance" dogs using the provisions of Section 49 of Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982

There are a few simple measures that you can take if your dog's barking is affecting your neighbours. This can include training, better socialising of the dog, or even the purchase of collar attachments and other devices that can discourage your pet from barking needlessly.

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