Dog Poop
Our street has become overwhelmed by un-pooper-scooped dog poop — it’s everywhere! It seems that no one bothers to pick it up anymore. I am considering putting up flyers asking dog owners to PLEASE clean up after their dogs but I wonder if anyone out there has dealt with this issue and if there’s anything…
Our street has become overwhelmed by un-pooper-scooped dog poop — it’s everywhere! It seems that no one bothers to pick it up anymore. I am considering putting up flyers asking dog owners to PLEASE clean up after their dogs but I wonder if anyone out there has dealt with this issue and if there’s anything to put on the flyer that would be effective in fixing this problem. Or, if there’s a better idea than a flyer. Thanks!
If you go to NYC.gov, and click on the agency list on the left side, you will see Sanitation. Go to the Sanitation website and write a complaint to the Commissioner. Sanitation will send an enforcement officer to the area for a few days to wait for the poopers to come around. If there is a violation, the officer will issue a fine to the person. This is the only way to get people to comply. If a person gets hit with a summons, he/she will think twice next time about leaving the poop behind. I find this to be a lack of respect on the dog owner’s part.
The Commissioner’s Office will also send you the outcome of the investigation. Believe it or not, this is one agency that is on the ball when it comes to answering and following up on complaints.
On 1st. St. btw 5th and 6th in the Slope, the block association has put some decent looking signs all up and down the block. While I think this particular offense needs to be upgraded to something guaranteeing jail time for the perp (I have a dog, so I know it’s really not so hard to clean up after them), sometimes the signs people put up are almost as bad-looking as the actual mess on the sidewalk.
I think InsertSnappy’s suggestion is good and I would add that if you can clean up all of the offending poop from your block and pour buckets of water with white vinegar mixed in on the most used areas just prior to posting the signs. The vinegar will dissuade the dogs and the clean block will let the dog owners realize that you are serious.
17th Street between 4th and 5th Avenues used to have this problem. Really bad. Their block solution was to put up signs asking folks to please clean up after their dogs. These signs were tied to the various trees on that block and attached to said signs were numerous grocery bags. It seemed to work very well. Owners and renters on that block had a great way to recycle their grocery bags and dog walkers who may have forgotten to bring a bag along with them had instant and easy access to a bag for cleaning up after their pooch. Within a few weeks there was noticeably less pooch poo on the sidewalks. Perhaps you should have a chat with your neighbors and see if they would be interested in doing something like that. Good luck!
I’ve had good luck with a sword.