S.J. from New Jersey writes:
Dear Mister Condo,
What can we do about people who refuse to keep dogs leashed and pick up after them? There are quite a few in my complex and no amount of cajoling in the newsletter seems to work. It’s awful to see poop along the sidewalks and occasionally right on the walkway! I can’t believe people are that lazy.
Mister Condo replies:
S.J., you can’t believe people are that lazy? How about disrespectful of their neighbors and uncaring of following the rules? I am sorry that you are having a problem with irresponsible dog owners. This is a problem for the Board to handle. As long as you have rules in place that require owners pick up after their pets, it is now simply an issue of enforcement. Typically, owners who violate the rules are summonsed to appear before the Board and defend or admit their behavior. After that, it is just a question of following through with the warning, fine, etc. until the behavior is corrected. Folks that show little respect for the association’s rules generally don’t respond to friendly reminders in the newsletter. Call them in for their actions, discipline them accordingly, and their behavior typically changes. Remember that all homeowners need to be treated the same way. You can’t arbitrarily enforce rules against some of the homeowners and not others. If the Board is resolute in correcting this problem, they certainly can. All the best!
This is a wide spread issue. Now, being a dog lover and owner I always pick up after my dog. I own a home so it’s a whole different situation but, being a contractor in tbe condominium arena I am always seeing grounds not properly cleaned up. So I say hire a pooper scooper company to clean up after the dogs. Logistics can be worked out between association and unit owners or owners can hire a company to take care of the clean up.
I live in a condo. I do not own a dog. Hiring some one to clean up after a handful of owners? Nope Fine them.