Besides being a nuisance, uncollected dog waste is a serious problem for our association. Next time you’re tempted to leave your dog’s droppings on the lawn, please remember these facts:
1. The Environmental Protection Agency is becoming aggressive about enforcing the Clean Water Act. Many Home Owner Associations can be fined if dog waste goes uncollected.
2. Uncollected dog waste may lead to a special assessment. If fined by the EPA, an association can face a potential special assessment that would be levied against all members—not just dog owners.
3. The appearance and quality of the common areas are known to affect home sales—not just whether and for how much they sell, but how quickly.
4. The more residents complain about dog waste, the more time the manager must spend on enforcement rather than serving the association.
5. Uncollected dog waste spreads disease and attracts rodents who feed on pet waste.
*The HOA where I live deals with this problem daily and although many people on our board want to confront this issue, it still does not get the attention it deserves and often is not dealt with. Each Association experiences these issues, but until there is a clear mandate or set of standards and regulations, many are on their own in enforcing statutes and rules.
* Lastly, in the City of Cotati where I live, police do not enforce city statutes on the books which allow for fines for those who do not keep dogs on leashes or pick up after their dogs. Until our own police cannot provide the manpower needed to enforce our laws, then people will continue to let their dog's go to the bathroom and not pick up.
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