A Whole Lotta Dog Poop Built Up Under That Snow

Photo Credit: submitted, FIDO of Natick

If you’ve got dogs, chances are they’ve been heading to the yard throughout the blizzard season to “do their business” in paths and spaces you’ve created for them. And with each storm, we got another one to bury that one. Everything collected underneath. As the remnants of snow, ice and salt melt seep into the grass, it is uncovering a sometimes unpleasant view of the things that sat blanketed. Some areas look like the cookie crumbles in a Carvel cake.

In Natick, there’s a group that not only works to create dog-friendly spaces (i.e. they are specifically lobbying for Natick’s first off-leash dog park) for our pets, but specializes, too, in dealing with the town’s pet waste.

Perhaps you’ve spotted their shirts: “Poop Patrol,” they say.

The group, FIDO of Natick, spent a majority of its Saturdays last year cleaning up the common before the Natick Farmer’s Market.

While they did this as a group of responsible dog owners and good stewards of the community, what they found was “surprising.”

Melissa Cusson, co-Founder, vice president, FIDO of Natick, said that the group found about ten times the amount of trash to dog waste.

“As a result, we took to more ‘challenging’ areas as time allowed, mostly after hearing complaints from neighbors and frequenters of parks such as Coolidge, Navy Yard and JJ Lane,” said Cusson. “Our efforts were acknowledged, appreciated and far-reaching - some people track us down just to buy a Poop Patrol t-shirt - and we hope the enthusiasm continues.”

Spring is easily the worst “poop season.” Particularly with the blizzards that piled repeated blankets on the area, dog waste was trapped in the snow like the crumbles in a Carvel cake.

“It seems that some folks thought the snow piles would somehow sanitize or otherwise dissipate the poop so, yes, we have heard the complaints and have seen the evidence first-hand,” said Cusson. ”We plan to launch a similar strategy this year, starting with JJ Lane since it was our worst offender in 2014.”

It’s technically against the law to leave your dog’s excrement on the ground. In Article 50, Section 16:3 of the town’s by-laws, it states, “Removal of Feces - The person owning a pet shall be responsible for the prompt removal of any feces deposited on a public or private property, except on the property of the owner of the pet or with the permission of the owner or occupant of the property.”

Fees can apply if you don’t.

FIDO organized a public pickup, and everyone’s invited to participate. It takes place Saturday, April 4, starting at the Common at 8 a.m. Sign up and get more information here.

“Don’t worry, JJ Lane, we’ll be coming for you in due time,” it says on the event site.

Cusson says FIDO is “toying with the idea” of providing a poop pickup service to households and privately owned properties.

Cusson’s number one tip for pet waste pickup? When pet waste is disposed of in public trash bins, the preferred method is double-bagged, meaning if the bin itself isn’t lined with a trash bag, choose another bin or use a second poop bag.

Interested in learning more about FIDO’s upcoming events and ongoing effort to open the town’s first fenced, off-leash dog park? Visit their website, join them on Facebook or send them a note to FIDOofNatick@gmail.com).

How did you deal with the poop buildup over the winter? Did you manage to keep up with it throughout the blizzard? Are you picking it up now? Do you hire a service? Have you noticed a lot of it along your walks in the neighborhood? By all means, share your dog poop stories in the comments section below!