Wardens get stab vests to tackle dogs

Environmental wardens in the city are being forced to wear stab-proof vests after a series of violent confrontations with dog owners.

The city council reportedly now issues the vests to wardens responsible for issuing fixed penalties to offenders.

The extreme measure is revealed in a BBC Radio Scotland investigation, The Scoop on Poop, to be broadcast today.

The half-hour programme also reveals how patrols have even fined police officers for not bagging and binning.

Kevin Jones and Mark Bannan, senior environmental wardens with the council’s north local office, said: “Sometimes they are actually quite accepting of it and they realise that they’ve done something wrong in not picking up the fouling after their dog has done their business.

“Other people can be quite aggressive. There have been instances where we’ve had to call the police.”