June 26, 2008

No more dog droppings

Dog owners will face $25 fines if they fail to clean up after their pets under a new city law slated for passage next month.
The city’s Ordinance Committee this week agreed to recommend that city councilors adopt the new law in order to force dog owners to scoop the poop whenever they walk their animals on public or private property that doesn’t belong to them.
The proposed law would force owners to possess a container or bag at all times “to pick up the doings of the dog,” said Dale Clift, the city attorney.
Clift said that instead of simply mandating that dog owners clean up after their pets – which can be hard to prove unless police officers catch the dog and its owner in the act of leaving the scene of the crime – the language also requires that owners possess something that shows they plan to do their civic duty.
After all, Clift said, someone lacking a means to scoop the poop “is not going to pick up after the dog.”
The existing law in Bristol requires owners to pick up after their pet on school or park property, but that’s it. There’s not even a leash law in town, though pets are supposed to be “under the control” of owners at all times.Ignoring the pooper scooper laws in the parks and on school property, imposed in 1995, can lead to $90 fines.
The city considered extending its poop-scooping law to include the property along sidewalks a decade ago, but dropped the idea because councilors thought the problem was minimal and enforcement unlikely.
There are more than 2,500 registered dogs in the city, with hundreds more unlicensed.
The City Council will likely take up the issue at its July 9 meeting. If the ordinance is approved, it would probably take effect about August 1.

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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Maybe this will help pay for the new contract that Ward approved.

Anonymous said...

What other new revenue streams can we come up with to help pay for the unions' healthcare?

Anonymous said...

Union haters making their usual dumb comments, but at least this time their remarks are under the right topic ~ dog droppings!

Anonymous said...

Does this include the dog park on Chippens Hill or is that excluded from this ordinance?

Anonymous said...

Even as a state employee,single father with 2 kids I pay 170.00 a month or so. IT IS UNBELIEVABLE IN THIS TIME THAT IS ALL THEY CONTRIBUTE FOR HEALTHCARE.I would think with all the OVERTIME from shift work and or private duty by the roadside that they could do better than that. I guess they are very powerful in Bristol.Go ahead and raise our taxes more but be sure you will not be reelected.

Anonymous said...

I work for the state also and I pay more than that too.

All of the union supporters have got to go. I can't afford to pay for my healthcare and theirs' too!

Anonymous said...

Will the enforcement of this Ordinance preclude the cops from things like vandalism prevention, traffic control etc?

Anonymous said...

Love the picture Steve!

Anonymous said...

Why are you people talking about healthcare for the police in the dog droppings blog?

Pay attention.

I would also like to know if this includes the Chippens Hill "dog park". It's disgusting.

Steve Collins said...

Yes, it includes the former Roberts property and would also include any future dog park.

Anonymous said...

They should have signs posted at all of the schools, parks and City owned property outlining the ordinance. And a really really really BIG sign at the Roberts Property.

Anonymous said...

Yep, more signs all over town!

Sign Blight at its best.

Did anyone consider giving a copy of the Ordinance to the owners of all licensed dogs?

Anonymous said...

I think they should include cat droppings. I live by a house with 3 cats that are outdoors often, and we constantly are stuck picking up all their droppings in our yard before mowing, and I, for one, am sick of it!

Anonymous said...

The original picture of the dog taking a dump was funnier.

Steve Collins said...

Yes, but someone took offense, so it's gone.

Anonymous said...

Is there any correlation of the implementation of the pooper law and the petition for a COO?

Anonymous said...

Is there any fine when the politicians dump on the populace?

Anonymous said...

And who is going to inforce this? You have dog droppings all over on the Roberts area, dogs running around with no liscencs and/or rabie tags. City needs to get their heads out of their butts and start paying attention to this area too.

Anonymous said...

46 acre dog park at the Roberts and nothing is enforced by the city? Can I get some city property and do what I want on it?

Anonymous said...

Maybe Kevin's dog can send a letter to all dogs in the city.

Anonymous said...

Mayor won't do anything about this area just like the last two - they are all afraid of upsetting the dog owners.