Man Allegedly Trains Dog To Dump Garbage, Caught On CCTV In Italy

An Italian man has been accused of training his dog to dump garbage at an illegal roadside dump near Catania. The authorities have released CCTV footage in which the dog is seen carrying a trash bag in its mouth and leaving it by the roadside.

The video, posted to Catania's official Facebook page, shows the dog going towards the dumping spot, placing a large bag of household waste on the ground and then heading back in the direction it came from.

"Ingenuity can never become an excuse for incivility," wrote Catania's official in Italian. The man has been identified and fined.

A statement posted on the Facebook page reads, "The Environmental Unit of the Local Police of Catania released two videos recorded by surveillance cameras on Via Pulacara, in the San Giorgio neighbourhood, showing a dog depositing a bag of waste on the street."

Authorities believe the video clearly shows the dog was not acting randomly. "A scene that leaves little room for doubt," they wrote, adding that the animal is believed to have been trained to avoid the owner being caught on camera.

"Respect for urban decorum and the environment is a duty for all," authorities said.

"This behaviour is both cunning and doubly unfair, because in addition to littering the city, it attempts to evade the rules by exploiting the unwitting four-legged friend. Respect for urban decorum and the environment is everyone's duty," CNN reported.

Illegal dumping continues to pose a serious challenge across Italy, with the problem particularly acute in southern regions of the country, according to The Guardian.

Authorities recorded over 9,300 cases related to illegal waste activity in 2023. That number was 66 per cent higher than in 2022.

Under Italian law, individuals caught dumping waste illegally can face fines ranging from 1,500 euros (approx Rs 1.6 lakh) to 18,000 euros (approx Rs 19.3 lakh). In more serious cases, offenders may also face criminal proceedings, which could result in a formal conviction.