February 23, 2026, 4:13 pm | Read time: 4 minutes
In Catania, Sicily, a man allegedly trained his dog to illegally dispose of trash to avoid surveillance cameras. The city posted the footage on Facebook. What sounds amusing is a serious issue in Italy. PETBOOK editor and behavioral biologist Saskia Schneider reveals the penalty the man faces and how he likely managed to get his four-legged friend to do the “dirty work.”
Small Dog Carries Trash Bag to an “Illegal Dump”
The scenes were recorded on Via Pulacara in the San Giorgio district. The city had installed cameras there to combat so-called “illegal dumps.” The videos show a small dog carrying a trash bag and leaving it at a spot that had developed into an illegal dumping ground over time. According to Italian media, this behavior was repeated on two consecutive days, always following the same pattern.
“Ingenuity Can Never Excuse a Violation”
The city of Catania posted the footage on its official Facebook page on February 19. The videos were provided by the environmental department of the local police in Catania. Surveillance cameras in the San Giorgio district captured a dog placing a trash bag on the street. The city commented: “Ingenuity can never excuse a violation.”
The scene leaves “little room for doubt”: The animal was apparently trained so the owner wouldn’t be filmed illegally disposing of trash. The city described the behavior as “as clever as it is doubly wrong.” Not only does it pollute the city, but it also attempts to circumvent the rules by exploiting “the unsuspecting four-legged friend.” According to the British newspaper “The Guardian,” the man has since been identified and fined.1
Cleverly Trained–But How?
As extraordinary as the case sounds, from a behavioral biology perspective, it is quite plausible. Carrying an object in the mouth and dropping it at a specific location is one of the classic, easily trainable tasks in dog training. Many dogs eagerly retrieve—and it’s not uncommon to see a dog running through the city with a bag.
The question many are asking: How did the owner train his dog to not only retrieve the trash but also independently and correctly place it at the right spot? In fact, dogs primarily learn through what is known as operant conditioning. This means behavior that is rewarding—such as through food or attention—is more likely to be repeated. However, such complex behavior must be well-structured over several small steps.
It seems that having the dog dispose of the trash was very important to the man, as he likely invested a lot of time in training. How exactly he trained the dog remains the man’s secret.
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Illegal Waste Disposal Is a Major Problem
Illegal dumping has been a problem in Italy, especially in the south, for years. According to “The Guardian,” more than 9,300 waste-related offenses were recorded in 2023—an increase of 66 percent compared to the previous year.
To combat this, many cities are increasingly relying on surveillance cameras and so-called “camera traps.” In Palermo, 93 percent of fines for illegal waste disposal are reportedly based on video footage.
This Penalty Awaits the “Cunning Waste Disposer”
Under Italian law, the unauthorized disposal of waste—even ordinary household trash bags—can result in fines ranging from 1,500 to 18,000 euros. In severe cases, criminal charges are also possible.
How much the “cunning waste disposer” will ultimately have to pay remains to be seen. One thing is certain: The dog is not to blame. He likely just did what he was taught. For the dog, disposing of trash might have even been a game or a task that brought him joy—nothing more, nothing less.