NEW YORK (PIX 11)— The city is ratcheting up enforcement in a few Manhattan neighborhoods where dog owners don’t clean up after their canines.
After receiving several complaints from his constituents, New York City Councilmember Erik Bottcher teamed up with the Department of Sanitation to address dogwalkers who leave their pet’s poop behind. The agency is strategically targeting violators in the most affected areas in the politician’s district, according to a DSNY spokesperson. New Yorkers who don’t pick up after their dog can be ticketed and fined up to $250.
“There is no poop fairy,” said Bottcher, who represents the District 3 areas of Chelsea, West Village and Hells Kitchen, during a rally Sunday.
DSNY enforces the Pooper Scooper Law and investigates certain locations where dogwalkers often fail to clean up after their dogs, the agency said. Residents who report these incidents can ask the DSNY to surveille the streets, sidewalks, and other areas, such as open front yards next to the public sidewalk.
The law doesn’t apply to guide dogs or service dogs aiding a person with a disability. DSNY also doesn’t investigate complaints about dogs urinating on public or private property, according to the agency website.
“Keeping New York City clean is a ruff job, and any New York dog owner who thinks they can ignore their responsibilities is barking up the wrong tree,” DSNY Commissioner Jessica Tisch said in a statement. “Our enforcement agents may not collar people over this, but they won’t just roll over, either – they will write tickets.”
