Hoboken Will Send Undercover Cops On Dog Poop Stings

HOBOKEN, NJ — An undercover poop patrol is set to hit the streets of Hoboken.

As part of an ongoing effort to deal with local dog owners who refuse to scoop their pet’s droppings, Hoboken police officers and the Department of Environmental Services will soon begin undercover operations to nab dog owners who violate city ordinances. And that includes those who don’t scoop the poop, Hoboken officials stated Monday.

Last summer, the Hoboken City Council unanimously approved a municipal law that doubled fines for people who don't clean up after taking Fido for a stroll. The range of fines is now $250 to $2,000 for violations.

• See related article: Hoboken Council Passes Dog Poop Law, Increases Fines

In a social media post, Hoboken city officials offered the following examples of some pet-related laws to keep in mind:

Leash Your Dog – “Dogs on sidewalks, streets and in parks must be on leash, except when in a dog run”

Pick Up The Poop – “Failing to pick up after your pet on sidewalks, streets, and in parks is punishable by a fine of up to $2,000”

Dispose Of It Properly – “Dispose of pet waste in your trash can or one of Hoboken’s 300+ public trash cans. Don’t litter!”

License Your Pet – “All dogs in Hoboken MUST be licensed by law. Learn more at hobokennj.gov/petlicense”

News of the impending undercover operations inspired a wave of comments on social media. Seen online:

• “I couldn't be happier to read this! As a dog owner, I still can't fathom how someone feels ok about not picking up after their dog. I'm so tired of having to pick up other dogs poop because it is right in front of my door and I don't want my toddler to step in it.”
• “Please put more garbage cans in the street corners. While I always pick up after my pet, I would love to not walk 4 blocks in search of a can.”
• “Also, what about all of the people who leave pizza, bagels, chicken bones and other food that my dog chokes on? How about making people pick up their own litter too?”
• “If you say you’re going to enforce the law, then do it and release data. We’ve lived through dozens of bold crackdown announcements that had no discernible impact.”
• “All dogs should have their poop DNA on file. Hoboken can them test the poop to determine the offender. (This may sound funny - it is - but some private buildings do this).”

Some residents were eager to offer personal anecdotes about their feces-related struggles.

“3rd Street between Madison and Monroe and even on Monroe is the most disgusting I’ve ever seen in my life!” one frustrated Hoboken parent wrote. “I can’t even get my son into the car seat because there’s so much dog poop surrounding our car. It’s just really bad in that area all the time.”

Another annoyed resident wrote:

“We moved here from the UK a couple of months ago and I’m amazed at the amount of dog poo on the streets and grassy areas, 3 times I have brought back dog crap on my stroller into our apartment… it’s driving me insane! I feel like a crazy mom shouting at my kids to get off the grass in case there’s dog poo everyday. What happens in the summer when the kids want to play on the grass in places like Pier A Park which always has dog poo on it?”

Don’t forget to visit the Patch Hoboken Facebook page here. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site here. Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com