Even though there are guidelines and regulations in your HOA, you may find that some dog owners are not following the rules for pet poop. It can leave a mess and stench, making other members uncomfortable with the issue.
Not everyone is responsible, but there need to be ways to solve the problem before it spirals out of control. As a part of the homeowners association, there are some things you can do.
Should We Be Concerned About Dog Poop?
Dog poop shouldn’t be a problem when owners take care of it properly. They should have a pooper scooper and other items ready at hand. Aside from it being an inconvenience, dog poop can become a health risk over time. It can carry bacteria and other harmful substances.
Uncollected dog poop can also contaminate areas, especially if they get to the water supply. It can cause sickness and parasites to spread. Even the EPA recognizes that dog poop can cause water and air pollution. Waste can attract insects and other rodents, which will only lead to more problems for your HOA.
Dealing With Dog Poop
While dealing with this problem may be challenging, it’s still possible. Take advantage of being in a community and homeowners association to do the following:
Send Formal Letters
If you know the offenders leaving dog poop behind, you can send them a formal letter. The letter can contain a warning at first, and you can detail the consequences of continuing with it. You may impose whatever the HOA deems a necessary punishment for repeat offenders.
Organize a Waste Cleanup
While you can deal with homeowners and have them become responsible, it doesn’t affect the poop that’s already littered around. It also becomes troublesome if you don’t know the source of it yet. The best thing to do is to provide an opportunity for waste cleanup. Increase the number of trash bags and cans in the community. You can also get a volunteer team for cleaning if you want to reduce the presence of poop.
Hire a Service
If no one wants to volunteer or there’s too much to deal with, then you may want to consider hiring a pooper scooper company, like K9 Doodie Patrol. You’ll need to spend money, but professionals can deal with the issue at hand fast. Then, you can focus on other things you need to do to make sure that it’s a problem that never happens again.
Set Boundaries
If you find areas that perpetrators frequent, you can place restrictions. You can also add limits to places that people often visit, like gardens and playgrounds. Poop in these places can cause a lot of trouble and annoyance to visitors. They also pose a risk to children.
Do remember that some members of your community may need pet guides and service animals with them. They are an exception to the rule.
Leash Requirement
Maybe the dogs of pet owners are pooping when no one is looking at them. It isn’t uncommon for dogs to find hiding spots to do their business. In this case, you may want to enforce a leash rule to the community. They can still walk their dogs and take them out, but they must have a leash with them.
Doing this can help avoid other problems. You can reduce the number of dog bites or animal-related car accidents. To ease pet owner’s concerns, you can designate a dog park where pets can roam freely.
Find a Compromise
By addressing a dog poop problem and creating a compromise between both sides, you avoid conflict within your HOA. As a result, you lessen the risk of any danger and keep everyone happy. By informing your residents of their responsibilities, they’ll know what to expect.
K9 Doodie Patrol offers services that can help the homes and the community. Reach out today to learn more about what we do!
