City considers dog waste problem

By Halle Shilling
Camera Staff Writer

A group of city officials has spent the last six months trying to answer a critical question for open space lovers in Boulder: How to get more dog owners to pick up after their pets?

Or what to do about pooh?

The group did not come up with any definitive answers. That's mostly because the city already employs an exhaustive list of techniques to encourage dog owners to comply with an ordinance requiring them to remove their dogs' excrement from public lands.

Already, city employees use signs, leaflets, dog treats, neighborhood workshops and the threat of a fine of up to $1,000 and a sentence of up to 90 days in jail to get the message across.

Still the problem persists. In a recent survey of open space users, respondents named dogs as one of the top two causes for flare-ups between users.

"It's a very hot issue. We get lots of calls about people not picking up," said Cindy Hansen, education specialist for the city's open space program and a member of the work group. "It's one of the things that really gets people fired up, so it's definitely something that has to be dealt with."

Dog poop is more than an aesthetic issue, said Jan McHugh, executive director of the Humane Society of Boulder Valley. Dog excrement can contain parasites that could infect people or other dogs.

McHugh also said that unlike cow or horse manure, dog feces doesn't biodegrade easily because dog food contains preservatives.

Last winter, the issue reached the ears of City Council members, who directed city officials in February to figure out a way to handle the problem.

A working group was formed, made up of officials from the city's public lands departments, environmental enforcement office, the Humane Society and the Parks and Recreation Department. The group brainstormed ideas that aren't new, but continuations of efforts already tried: more signs, more poop bags, more education for dog owners.

The group will continue to meet on an as-needed basis.

Members of the group agree that the city's campaign has had some impact. They say that more people are aware of the problem and are being responsible. But they also admit that the hard work is in convincing the dog owners who never do the right thing.

"I'm a big believer in peer pressure," said Ann Wichmann, manager of the mountain parks program and a member of the work group. "Other dog people who enforce the law on those who aren't doing it, I think, is the best method."

Such "irresponsible people are endangering the privileges" of people who do pick up after their dogs, Wichmann said.

About 80 percent of dog owners in Boulder don't pick up after their pooch, according to a 1998 study conducted by Marc Bekoff, University of Colorado animal behavior expert. He does not have high hopes that those people will change their behavior. He said his work has shown that there are no in-betweens when it comes to dog poop: either people pick it up regularly, without reward, or they don't.

Those who don't are just lazy, he said.

"It's one more thing that people have to do when they have companion animals," Bekoff said. He said surveys show that many people love having animals, but only want them as long as they don't cause problems.

At a trailhead at Chautauqua Park on Friday afternoon, many dog owners and trail users said they did not think dog excrement on local trails was a big problem, mainly because people are becoming more aware of the issue.

"They make it awfully easy for you to pick up," said Cindy Kirchner, pointing to one of the city's bag dispensers.

A few said horse manure is worse because there's more of it and it stinks.

"I find horses to be a hell of a lot more annoying than dogs," said Scott Minteer. "At least dog stuff you can kick off the trail."