A VAN fitted with CCTV cameras will patrol the Capital to catch dog owners letting their pets foul the streets.
The council vehicle will be scouring notorious areas of north Edinburgh and Leith over the next ten weeks.
With the help of concerned residents, environmental wardens have compiled a list of worst-affected areas such as Granton, Muirhouse, Pilton and Drylaw.
Owners caught not collecting dog muck will be given a £60 on-the-spot fine – which could rise to £500 and a criminal record if it is not paid.
Councillor Norman Work, vice convener of health, social care and housing, said: "Dog fouling has been raised as a particular area of concern by residents in parts of north Edinburgh.
"Their enforcement work will be supported by the use of mobile CCTV to assist with surveillance of particular problem areas.
"The majority of dog owners recognise that dog fouling is both unsightly and poses a health hazard. However, our environmental wardens will not hesitate to take action against persistent offenders to ensure that people abide by their responsibility to pick up after their pets."
Environmental wardens will team up with local community police officers, and the Forth Neighbourhood Partnership has helped identify key areas where dog walkers don't abide by the law.
Forth councillor Allan Jackson said it was a chance to collect records of all the worst areas and have them addressed.
He said: "This is obviously a problem that has gone on for years and we always get letters and e-mails about problem areas, streets and parks.
"We've now passed them all on to the council and during this purge they can target these places.
"I sincerely hope this makes a difference because it's an extremely unpleasant thing if it's on your shoes, in your car and then in your house. There are also potential health issues."
Parts of Leith, such as Great Junction Street, will also be monitored, and the council said it is happy to receive more input from residents.
Royston/Wardieburn Community Council secretary Joan Turner said: "It's a big problem in this area and everyone's talking about it. Hopefully this will make a difference."
Secretary of West Pilton/West Granton Community Council George Taylor said: "It's something we receive a lot of complaints about and clearly needs to be clamped down on, not just in this area but probably the whole of the city.
"This is definitely good news and I'm glad it's taking place. I can see both sides of the story. If I had a dog, I wouldn't want to be following it about with a plastic bag, but then if you have kids playing and there's dog muck everywhere it's not on."
Anyone wanting to report instances of dog fouling should phone the 24-hour antisocial behaviour hotline on 0131-529 7050.
www.edinburgh.gov.uk