Neighbors Remind Dog Owners To Pick Up Pet Waste

The Laurelhurst Blog has received comments regarding neighbors not picking up after their dogs:

Recently in the park and in the area around Laurelhurst Elementary there has been an increase in pet waste in the pedestrian areas.    

We have seen large piles of dog waste all around the streets surrounding the park. We have gone ahead and picked up all the feces each time we sett it.  It is our expectation, and per Seattle City law, that dog owners pick up after their pets, no exceptions. 

Please be courteous and clean up after your pet. We have a great neighborhood to take walks and children to play.  Let's all do our part in keeping our neighborhood a pleasant environment for all of us. 

We have lived in this area for for 30 years and are noticing more and more that people are not scooping up after their dogs.  Today we stepped into some on our lawn before coming into our house.  Cleaning up after this was a real downer.   Can we remind folks that there is a fine for not taking care of their dogs. 

Please pick up after your dogs, it is your YOUR responsibility, no one else's, Don't be lazy. It is hazardous, neglectful and not courteous.

Seattle Public Utilities reports on their website: 

We have more than 125,000 dogs and 60,000 outdoor cats in Seattle. That amounts to about 50,000 lbs of pet waste every day.

Left on streets, curb strips and in yards and parks, pet waste can be carried by rainwater to storm drains and into our creeks, lakes and Puget Sound without treatment. It is one of the leading causes of bacterial contamination in our streams and causes other water quality problems just like livestock manure and fertilizer. 

There are bacteria and micro-organisms in pet waste such as Roundworms, E. coli, and Giardia that can make people sick if they’re ingested. Some can last in your yard for as long as four years if not cleaned up.  

Children who play outside and adults who garden are at greatest risk of infection. If pet waste is washed into the storm drain it ends up in lakes, streams or marine water, and people can accidentally swallow bacteria and other disease-causing organisms while swimming or playing in the water. These bacteria also end up in shellfish, and can make the people who eat them very sick. 

Put pet waste in a plastic bag, seal it, and throw it in the garbage- not in the yard waste! There are also Mutt Mitt (pdf) dispensers located around the City. The next time you're out walking your pet, take advantage of this free resource to help keep our waterways clean. 

There are laws in Seattle to protect our health and our environment which require pet waste to be picked up and disposed of properly.

Here are applicable Seattle City laws relating to Offenses of Safety and Sanitation:

• $109 Allowing accumulation of feces SMC 9.25.082 (A)
• $54 Not removing feces from another’s property SMC 9.25.0822 (B)
• $54 Not having equipment to remove feces  SMC 9.25.082 (C)
• $54 In Parks: Failure to carry equipment for removing feces OR failure to place feces in appropriate receptacle. SMC 18.12.080 (C)

Go here for more information.

(photo courtesy of SPU)