A Montgomery County program to reduce pet waste in public places, including parks, has reached a milestone.
The county announced it installed its 100th “pet waste station” last month at the Heron’s Cove Condominium complex in Montgomery Village.
“We hope the program inspires all dog owners to remember to scoop it, bag it and put it in the trash,” Ana Arriaza, the pet waste program manager and watershed outreach planner for the Department of Environmental Protection, said in a news release.
The county’s small receptacles have collected 69,000 pounds of waste since the program started more than four years ago.
Adam Ortiz, DEP’s new director, said the goal is to avoid pet waste contamination of water supplies. The bagged-up waste is hauled away as trash.
“They’re expected to put it in the bag. We want people disposing of it so the county can dispose of it properly,” he said.
Not everyone wants to get their hands dirty, he acknowledged, but doing so may be necessary if the quality of life is to truly be improved in the county.
“There’s no question it’s the right thing to do, even if it’s uncomfortable for people,” he said.
A number of cities and counties have “pooper scooper” laws, according to The Association of Professional Animal Waste Specialists, a trade association, and private cleanup services have been started across the country.
“We have a legal requirement to reduce pollution in our waterways, and this is a cost-effective way to do it, so it’s a win-win,” Ortiz said.
Arriaza said in an interview that the county has spent $100,000 on the program during the last five years, which included $25,000 was spent to expand the pet waste program in fiscal 2017.
The fine is $50 for not cleaning up after pets, according to county animal control laws. Individual municipalities have separate laws, including Rockville, which has fines of between $25 and $100 depending on whether it is a first, second or third violation. Homeowners associations also impose penalties on residents who do not clean up after their pets. Arriaza said these laws are difficult to enforce.
“Nobody has ever told me they’ve gotten a ticket for this. I think it’s such a hard thing to enforce, because they have to be caught right there and then,” she said.
Dan Schere can be reached at Daniel.schere@moco360.media
