Colton Demands Signs Telling Pet Owners To Pick Up Poop

The following is a press release from the offices of Assemblyman William Colton:

Assembly Member William Colton (47th Assembly District – Brooklyn) has called on the New York City Department of Transportation to resume installation of street signs to remind pet owners to clean up after their dogs.

Colton’s office has been contacted by a large number of constituents about dog owners who are not picking up after their dogs. This is one of the biggest complaints the Assembly Member receive from constituents.

A number of years ago, the NYC Department of Transportation had street signs installed warning them to pick up after their dog and that if they did not, they could receive a fine from the City. This policy was discontinued a few years ago, likely due to budget cuts.

This week, Colton sent a letter to the Department of Transportation calling on them to resume putting up these warning signs telling dog owners to clean up after their pets in order to greatly improve the quality of life for New York City residents. Dog owners, who do not pick up after their pets, cause serious health and sanitation issues. These issues seriously hinder the quality of life for the people of the City. For example, children often play on the streets and sidewalks throughout our City, and they are exposed to the dog feces not cleaned up by pet owners. Also, the cleanliness of our neighborhoods is decreased by negligent pet owners who do not pick up after their dogs.

In the letter, Colton asked the Department of Transportation to work in conjunction with the Department of Sanitation to install these street signs to remind pet owners to be responsible and pick up after their dogs, and to warn them that if they fail to follow this law, they will be penalized for their negligent actions.

Colton asserted, “It’s important that we protect the quality of life in our neighborhoods. It’s irresponsible and negligent for dog owners to not pick up after their pets, because of the serious health and sanitation problems that arise from not cleaning up after your dog. The streets signs the City used to install help reminded people that they have a legal responsibility to clean up after their dogs. The Department of Transportation needs to continue installing these street signs to not only remind pet owners of their responsibility, but to also remind them that failure to comply with the law can lead to a fine from the City.”