Question about Pooper Scooper law - neighbor fails to clean up (Houston: leasing, live)

[andrewmillichamp]

Hi friends,

Thank you for your continued replies. I am grateful. I want to clarify that the management/leasing office has taken action on my video request by issuing a lease violation to the resident, which I presume includes a fine. Here is my sequence of complaints thus far

1) Fall 2013 - A couple of verbal notifications and emails to the leasing office - they sent a gentle notice to the resident. Told me to inform them if this continued.

2) I was away for the holidays and upon my return in January I noticed the lack of clean up continuing. I emailed the leasing office and they sort of ho hummed on the issue until I sent them the video proof which clearly identified the violation and the pet in question.

They sent a lease violation to the resident a few days after which I believe may have included a fine. I was informed that a lease violation was sent and to inform the leasing office if the issue continued.

The leasing office also sent a general circular to the entire community reminding them to clean up after their pet and to inform the office of any violations observed.

3) I think the resident cleaned up for a day or two when the notice was received and are back to not cleaning up again

The leasing office is taking action when needed, at least thus far.

I am thinking the best course forward is to take a couple more videos on different days and then send another email to the leasing office informing them that the issue continues.

Any other thoughts are welcome...

Thanks!
Andrew

[4string]

Send the leasing office a certified letter stating you will hire someone to clean up the poop and you'll deduct the expense from your rent. That fixes most things.

[westhou]

I would continue to complain to the leasing office. Who cares if it bothers them. It's their job to assist residents with these sorts of issues. If they would follow up with your complaints in a timely manner than they wouldn't have to be bothered. Continue to send your complaints until something concrete is done. If nothing comes of it I would move when your lease is up and be sure to note this as the reason for not renewing.

[AguaDulce]

Originally Posted by EasilyAmused

Agreed. Most trash pickup won't go to the bottom of the can for the poo bags. We have back door pickup so our cans don't get it, but it makes people even more creative. The worst is when people leave their poo bags on top of the leaf bags at the curb...or throw it in the recycle bin. and why they leave them on top of the manhole covers in the park, to cook in the heat and never biodegrade, I'll never know.

I have big dogs. I walk them a block, and depose of the bags at my house, then go out for the real run/ walk with them.

In Terry Hershey, I let them do what nature does over near the forest, away from the paths.

That's a good tip. I see your point. What if I double bag it? Would that be more acceptable? I'm often a mile away from home before my dog poops.

Re: Terry Hershey--you let your dogs run loose in the woods and poop? Bad idea, because (if you didn't see my previous link):

Dog and cat waste left on the ground is more than smelly and unsightly. It pollutes our water and poses a health risk for pets and people, especially children! Please remember to always Scoop the Poop and to dispose of pet waste properly!



It adds up! One pile of pet waste might not seem like a lot; however, more than 215,000 dogs live in Austin, generating 100,000 pounds of waste throughout the city every day. When not disposed of properly, this waste washes into local waterways and causes problems with:
Human and Pet Health

• Giardia
• Roundworms
• Salmonella
• Other viruses and parasites

Water Quality

• Algae and aquatic weeds
• Reduced oxygen for fish
• Unsafe recreational areas

[crone]

Did anybody see the article in the paper last week about IIRC, parts of the San Jacinto river being so polluted it was declared off limits? The pollution was from dog feces.

Bag your dogs droppings and deposit them into your own trash can. I double bag our dog and cat stuff so that the trash man doesn't have to content with it either.

If people can't even clean up after their own pet, what makes them think others want to?

[PedroMartinez]

Some chocolate exlax left in the area can do wonders.

BTW, I'm not really all that serious.

[PedroMartinez]

Originally Posted by crone

Did anybody see the article in the paper last week about IIRC, parts of the San Jacinto river being so polluted it was declared off limits? The pollution was from dog feces.

Bag your dogs droppings and deposit them into your own trash can. I double bag our dog and cat stuff so that the trash man doesn't have to content with it either.

If people can't even clean up after their own pet, what makes them think others want to?

It's the same mentality as the car smokers who don't want stinky cigarette butts in their car so they throw them out the window where they get washed into the storm drain and make their way into our creeks, rivers, lakes and oceans.

[DRob4JC]

I am in a single family home in a cul-de-sac with a neighbor who doesn't keep up with their dogs.

Buy a container of black pepper and spread liberally on the high traffic poop areas.

When I have encountered doggie #2 in the past - I shovel it and dump it in their yard. But when I stay on task with the pepper - they stay away.

[andrewmillichamp]

Hello chaps,

I hope you are doing well. I wanted to update you on this issue. I believe the leasing office did issue a 'lease violation' as well as speak to the resident as they were not picking up after their pet, which is a violation of the laws of the apartment community I live in, and of course, Houston city laws.

Sadly, the resident did not pay much attention to the action by the leasing office and the issue continues.

I have notified (via email) the leasing office twice, once a week after the lease violation was issued and the failure to pick up continued) and second time today, almost a month since my last email, both of which have been subsequent to the lease violation notice issued to the tenant.

I have been forced to keep my blinds closed these past few weeks just to avoid accepting that the problem continues, but today, I took another video recording and emailed it to the leasing office and am awaiting their reply.

The manager in the leasing office has taken action, maybe not as proactively as they should have, but I do not want to assign them blame as yet.

However, apart from me moving, which is a great inconvenience to my household, as we have a lease, pay a premium rent to live in what is branded a 'luxury apartment community' and have been living here for a few years now, so it seems unfair for us to move when the neighbor is blatantly violating the rules of the community and the city.

Is there any way I can approach this issue a bit more sternly with the management office, or notify some other authority?

I do not wish to deal with the neighbor as it is not for me to do so, the leasing office needs to mediate. I have never met the resident and have no other issues with them or any complaints towards me ever.

Thank you!
Andrew

[BFFMaya]

This is how I handled a similar situation a few years ago in Florida. A little unconventional, but effective nonetheless.