Do We Need Stronger Enforcement of the NYC Dog-Scooping Law?

My three nieces, ages 9 – 13, were visiting from Illinois two summers ago. We had just bought doughnuts and were rounding the corner towards the subway in a fantastic mood, when the 11-year-old stepped and then slipped right into a big ol’ chunky pile of dog poop.

“Well,” I thought to myself, “she’s just gotten her first official New York City baptism.”

Dog poop: So ubiquitous is it on our sidewalks, it’s damn-near as much a part of New York City’s culture as the Statue of Liberty, Times Square and Nathan’s hot dogs.

“Eeeeewwwwwww,” you say?

That’s exactly what my nieces said too – the two that avoided the poop. The one who slipped was hyperventilating, while trying her best to hold back tears of embarrassment and utter disgust.

I ran to the corner bodega to get napkins. Wiped her off as best as I could. Then, we changed directions and marched away from the subway back in the direction of the house. 

And my poor niece: It had to be the one who – out of her sisters -- is most concerned that her “lip gloss is poppin.” Now, here she was, in what she considered the coolest place on earth (Brooklyn), in public with dog poop smeared across her buttocks, leg and shoe, walking like the tin man from The Wizard of Oz.

In New York City, did you know it’s against the law to let your dog go in a public place? I bet you thought it was the law to pick up after your dog. But no, scooping your dog’s doody is just the consequence of the fact that the act is illegal to begin with.

According to Section 161.03 of the New York City Health Code: A person who owns, possesses or controls a dog, cat or other animal shall not permit the animal to commit a nuisance on a sidewalk of any public place, on a floor, wall, stairway or roof of any public or private premises used in common by the public, or on a fence, wall or stairway of a building abutting on a public place.

So why aren’t NYPD or DOS officers as diligent with ticketing violators of this code as they are with ticketing people who violate parking laws? Perhaps, it’s because it’s a much harder task to catch dog poop violators in action. Or maybe, it’s because the City can’t afford such patrols.

What do you think? Should the City be more vehement about enforcing its dog-scooping law on pet owners? Or should concerned residents play a greater role in policing themselves and others (by speaking up and/or contacting enforcement agencies)?

Take our poll, and tell us what you think in the comments.