Pet Waste Disposal
Pet waste affects more people and places than just your yard. Did you know that most fecal coliform found in urban stormwater comes from non-human origins? When people do not clean up after their pets, animal waste can get into the storm drains, contaminating the water and our environment.
People not picking up after their pets is a problem. We want to encourage people to clean up what their pets leave behind because it can contaminate the area around us, and it’s also a common courtesy to your neighbors to clean up after your pets.
This summer, with more adults and children outside, it is a great time to begin picking up after your pets. Bring a plastic bag with you when you walk your pets around the neighborhood, and encourage other neighbors with pets to do the same. This way, kids playing outside will not track pet waste into the house, bringing in disease-carrying pests.
Parks in our area, including Slockett, Sugar Mill, Eldridge, Sugar Land Memorial, Oyster Creek and Lost Creek, have bags at the park for residents to use to pick up animal waste. Trash cans are also located around the park so you will not have to walk far to dispose of the bag. Picking up your pet’s waste will help our environment be a cleaner and better place.
By cleaning up after our pets, we can ensure that pet waste does not pollute our local waterways.
To help encourage pet owners to pick up after their pets, Public Works has pet trash bag containers available for residents to pick up at the Animal Control Facility located at 101 Gillingham Lane.
Pet Waste Ordinance
Sec. 3-13. Animal Waste Disposal
- It is unlawful for an owner or person having control of an animal to permit the animal to defecate on private property unless the person immediately removes and properly disposes of the feces.
- It is unlawful for an owner or person having control of an animal to walk the animal on private property without carrying at all times a suitable container or other suitable instrument for the removal and disposal of animal feces.
- Prior to filing a complaint with the city, the person whose property has been defecated on must give written notice to the owner or person having control of the animal that the animal defecated on the property and the owner or person having control of the animal failed to immediately remove and properly dispose of the feces. A copy of the written notice must be presented to the city at the time of filing the complaint.
- It is a defense to prosecution under this section that the animal is a specially trained dog that is being used by a blind individual.
- It is a defense to prosecution under this section that the animal defecates upon private property owned by the owner or person having control of the animal. (Ord. No. 1722, § 1, 12-16-2008)