Ask NOW: How quickly must dog droppings be picked up?

June 19, 2012

Is there a rumor you've heard that you would like to track down? Is there something in the community that needs to get fixed? Mary Malahy explains some of the mysteries of life in the Tosa area.

How quickly must dog droppings be picked up?

Issue: A reader wrote to me because her neighbor lets his dog's waste build up in his yard. She wants to know if there is a rule against this and what she can do to get her neighbor to clean up after his dog.

Status: James Beix, epidemiologist with the Wauwatosa Health Department, said owners should clean up after their animals within three days if the waste is located on the owner's personal property. But, owners are expected to clean up animal waste immediately when it is not on their own property, he added.

If someone has a complaint about a neighbor who is not cleaning up after an animal, he or she should call the health information line at (414) 479-8939, Biex said.

If there are no prior complaints against the property, the Health Department will usually send the owner a letter, Biex explained. If there is a history of complaints, the department will inspect the property to determine whether a problem exists. If so, the owner will be given 10 days to clean up the mess.

If the owner does not comply they can receive a citation.

Wauwatosa NOW .com

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