New York Dog Poo Law Makes It Illegal To Leave Droppings In Your Own Yard


Leaving dog droppings in your yard will soon get you fined in the New York town of North Hills. Getting lazy with the pooper scooper will incur a fine in many cities, but the new law appears to be the first time piles of poo on private property will lighten your wallet.

While some shake their head and laugh about the North Hills dog feces fines, others are taking the matter very seriously. The New York law is believed by some to be teetering on the proverbial slippery slope. If a town or a state can mandate fines for dog poop piles in a backyard, private property rights are being infringed upon, and more such laws can be forthcoming.

While it is not legal to do anything you want on private property, habits and behavior which do not harm others have long been considered sacrosanct. Intense scrutiny may be commonplace for folks who live in city or a suburb with a home owners association, but to small town and rural residents, such a law feels extremely bizarre and largely unwarranted.

The proposed New York law would mandate that property owners “promptly” put the dog poop in a sealed, plastic bag and then into a covered trash bin. Failing to do so would result in a $50 fine the first time, a $100 fine for a second offense, and a $200 fine if Fido does his business and it remains in the yard a third time.

A senior citizen with a fenced yard used to simply opening the door and sending a beloved pet outdoors to do his business would now have to go outdoors in bad weather to clean up the pile or risk being fined. Those of us with tween or teen children likely already know how difficult it can be just to get the kiddos to remember to let the dog out on a regular basis, let alone go scoop the poop.

What happens if a stray dog wanders into your backyard or the neighbor’s dog thinks your grass looks greener and more inviting that that growing on his own lawn? The New York dog poop and scoop private property law also opens the door for vindictive ex-significant others and disgruntled neighbors to enjoy some revenge at your expense.
Exactly how the private property dog poop law will be enforced remains unclear. Can a neighbor or neighborhood watch member monitor front lawns and backyard and then call a local government office to demand a canine feces report be taken? Many police officers might very well feel they are quite busy enough already and find it difficult to work potty patrol into their daily schedule.

The North Hills mayor admits that dog poop is not a widespread problem in the New York town but fully expects the new law to garner approval by the board of trustees anyway.

What do you think about the New York dog pooper scooper law? Is such a mandate an infringement upon private property rights?

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