May 7, 2017 by Philip Lewenstein

It Is Not Okay to Drop Your Dog’s Poop in My Garbage Can

With the arrival of spring, people are emerging from their domiciles and winter hibernation to enjoy the pleasant weather, biking or walking, often accompanied by their dog—or dogs. I am seeing more people with not only one but often two or three dogs. The number of dogs licensed by the city of Vadnais Heights has decreased the past eight years; however, I swear that the pet population is surging despite dog demographic data from the city indicating otherwise.

I applaud owners’ efforts to provide their dogs some exercise, but I am dismayed by the actions of some dog owners to put dog excrement in my garbage can. Not only does placing dog waste in my receptacle violate city code, but the action reflects a lack of respect, civility, and common courtesy. Using my garbage can is plain annoying—and wrong.

Many owners, as required by the city, collect their dogs’ waste in a plastic bag. Under Vadnais Heights City Code 130.230, a dog owner has to deposit the excrement in the owner’s garbage can. But some owners prefer the convenience of my garbage can near the street awaiting its Wednesday pickup from Waste Management. Further, one owner had the nerve to walk onto my property and put his excrement bag in the garbage can next to my house.

A couple years ago, my son noticed a man placing his bag of dog waste in my garbage can. Outraged, my son retrieved the bag of waste from the garbage can, then ran a half mile and gave the bag to the dog owner. Last month, looking out my kitchen window, I saw a woman with her dog stop and place her bag of dog waste in my garbage can. After knocking on the window, I ran outside and asked her to remove the bag, but she rudely walked away. In contrast, another time, a more courteous dog owner asked me if he could deposit his dog’s excrement in my garbage can; I politely replied, “No thank you.”

I discovered the magnitude of this dog excrement problem last month when I picked up the Variety section of the March 26, 2017, Star Tribune and noticed an article on page one, “Who is left holding the bag? Everyone agrees that dog owners should pick up their pet’s droppings, but where you should put them is a matter of debate.”

Reporter Richard Chin wrote the following:

“Forget about red state vs. blue state. If you really want to raise a hot-button issue that polarizes neighborhoods, pits citizen against citizen, has pundits pontificating and even divides households, ask this: Is it OK to drop your dog’s poop in a neighbor’s garbage can?”

Chin highlighted the contentiousness of this controversial issue at the local, national, and international levels. He cited some syndicated advice columnists who are divided on the issue. Further, he pointed out that while some cities have ordinances requiring the dog owner to remove the excrement to a proper receptacle on the owner’s property, that’s not the standard operating procedure in many neighborhoods.

The Vadnais Heights code is clear. It states that “(1) no person shall cause or permit a dog or other domestic animal to be on any property, public or private, not owned or possessed by such person, unless such person has in their immediate possession a device for the removal of excrement and depository for the transmission of excrement to a proper receptacle located upon property owned or possessed by such person. (2) a person in control of, causing or permitting any dog or other domestic animal to be on any property, public or private, not owned or possessed by such person, shall remove excrement left by such dog to a proper receptacle located on property owned or possessed by such person.”

A violator of the code can be assessed an administrative expense of $100, according to Kevin Watson, city administrator of Vadnais Heights, although he says, “It is tough to police or enforce.” Watson suggests putting a sign on one’s garbage can explaining displeasure with depositing dog waste. He also says that if one knows a chronic violator, the city would be happy to write that person a letter.

In the article, Chin points out that pro and anti-dog poop stickers for garbage cans have been designed and sold as fund raisers with limited success. However, buying stickers for a garbage can should not be necessary. In fact, this messy issue is not about dogs or their poop. The issue is about respecting neighbors’ wishes and property– as well as the law.