PHOENIX, ARIZ (KPHO) — It’s a smelly problem that’s not going away. A growing number of inconsiderate pet owners are letting their dogs do their business in other people’s yards, then not cleaning it up.
Lucy Nederbrock considers herself a responsible dog owner, always carrying a plastic bag with her, but some of her neighbors aren’t as nice.
“Every day I come out here and it’s either in front, or on the side of my house,” said Nederbrock.
A nearby homeowner recently posted surveillance photos on social media, showing someone letting their dog poop on his front lawn, then walk away.
A couple days later, he was confronted and told to pick it up.
Nederbrock can’t understand how any dog owner could be so rude.
“It’s very frustrating,” said Nederbrock. “It’s something I would never do to somebody else. It’s irresponsible.”
A number of homeowners have tried putting up signs, but it doesn’t always work.
So, what can homeowners do when someone doesn’t scoop their dog’s poop?
Bob Lozier with the City of Phoenix Neighborhood Services Department said there are not a lot of options since there are no specific laws on the books banning pets from leaving something in someone’s yard.
“Typically, we are referring folks over to the county, which has rules with licensing and how to handle dogs in public,” said Lozier. “It can become a police matter if it becomes a trespass situation.”
Nederbrock thinks if a nice chat with your neighbor doesn’t work, shaming offenders on social media is a perfectly reasonable option.
“I hope it embarrassed the guy that did it,” said Nederbrock.
A number of HOA communities have rules in place that will cite homeowners who don’t pick up after their dogs.
