Neighbors Scorn Those Who Don't Clean Up After Pets
A Mutt Mitt disposal station in Broadlands. Not cleaning up after a pet carries a $200 fine.
(By Erica Garman)
TOOLBOX
   Resize
COMMENT
 Discussion Policy
 CLOSE
Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
Who's Blogging  |
Living in LoCo is Erica Garman's blog devoted to all things interesting in Loudoun County. You can find it athttp:/
One complaint often brought up by residents in planned communities is the unwillingness of some homeowners to clean up after their pets.
It's not such a big deal when the poop is in the offender's yard, but the public outcry comes when random bombs are left in public pathways, neighbors' yards or common areas where children play.
My family experienced the effects of irresponsible pet-owner behavior last summer while enjoying a pleasant evening on the deck. We smelled the offensive odor -- which in the heat is oh-so-distinctive -- yet we could not find the source. Perhaps it was under the deck or wafting over from a neighbor's yard. After we avoided the deck for a few days, the stink finally went away.
Some communities, such as Broadlands, have gone to the expense of posting Mutt Mitt stations along pathways -- plastic bag dispensers and special trash containers. But the occasional mess still appears on sidewalks and playgrounds, even when the baggie/trash station is a few yards away.
David D'Onofrio, president of the Spring Lakes HOA in Leesburg, said his neighborhood can do only so much when it comes to owners who don't clean up after their pets. Spring Lakes has installed signs and trash barrels to make it easy. "We do all we can," D'Onofrio said. "My advice to residents is to contact Animal Control directly if they have an issue."
In Loudoun County, not cleaning up after your pet is a Class Four misdemeanor, which carries a fine of up to $200. The problem with enforcing that law, said Laura Rizer, spokeswoman for Loudoun's Animal Care and Control Department, is that the offender must be caught "in the act." Rizer reminds dog owners to always carry a plastic bag and take the time to clean up after a pet. "Bag it up. Tie it Up. Throw it away," she said. "In the garbage."
Environmentalists say not to throw dog waste into storm drains, creeks or lakes because the fecal matter contains harmful pathogens that can affect wildlife and, eww, our drinking water.
A Local Tribute to Tim Russert
Justin Mass of Ashburn, like the rest of America, is mourning the passing of longtime "Meet the Press" host Tim Russert.
"I always looked forward to his show," said Mass, 31, who attended graduate school at the University at Buffalo, in Russert's home town. "He's one of those special guys who you really don't appreciate until he's gone."
