There are about 75 million dogs owned in the United States, according to the ASPCA Pet Statistics. This means that about 63% of households have a pet running around with a toy in its mouth, craving for attention. But dogs are already getting attention. They’re not getting attention for their cute faces or pretty furs, or even their clothes or their walks; Their poop is the talk of the town. It’s not their fault though. They have to release. They’re similar to humans in that way. It’s natural. Those types of toxins can’t remain in their bodies. But companies have designed pooper-scoopers and poop bags to clean it all up (owners even use Stop-N-Shop bags), so why is it such a big deal?
In a most recent article on dog poop on CBS New York’s website, 1010 WINS talks about the “revealed poop” that has shown up in upper Manhattan as a result of the melting snow. The two upper Manhattan neighborhoods that are complaining about these conditions are Inwood and Washington Heights. The residents are sick of seeing “piles of dog feces that have overwhelmed sidewalks and streets”. According to the Department of Sanitation, Washington Heights had the most poop violations in Manhattan in 2010. Also, Inwood residents said there needs to be something done.In a November 2010 article on the New York Post website, upper Manhattan neighborhoods ranked “worst in the borough for dog droppings”.
There would be no complaints if owners picked up the poop when they walked their dogs in the first place. This is the main problem. It can be either laziness or just plain nastiness. You would think that the fines these owners know about would stop them from doing the crime, but it doesn’t seem to matter. There are fewer fines being given. That’s probably because officers can’t seem to catch the “poop criminals” in action, according to an article on the AM New York website.
Let’s also consider these factors about the characteristics of dog poop and why it’s no good on the streets. Dog poop carries a lot of diseases, including heartworms, tapeworms, and corona, according to an article in DoodyCalls.com. Also, the poop doesn’t make good fertilizer and also is in the same category as oil and toxic chemicals, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
There is good news in all of this though! For one, there is a dog poop campaign organized by Jay Shells, a NYC Street Artist. He hand painted “Clean Up After Your Dog” posters around New York City to hopefully change owner’s minds about the severity and advantages of cleaning the poop, according to LaughingSquid.com, a blog and web-hosting company.
Another good thing that comes out of all of this is the invention of the “Dog Poop-Powered Lantern”, according to a November 2010 article on The Village Voice Blogs’ website. An artist named Matthew Mazzotta has decided to put dog poop into good use! He converts dog poop into energy to light a lantern at the Cambridge dog park. These leaves other artists and scientists to run tests on dog poop to see what good use they can put the brown stuff to. What a great way to start off 2011!
Just remember: If your dog poops then bring out the scoops! If you don’t throw it away it might come back around someday. Avoid a fine and cover your behind. Don’t put it in a bag, just put it in a lantern!