Why New Yorkers Shouldn’t Leave Dog Poo In Their Yard

Got dogs? Well, then this dog waste article is perfect to read for the preservation of your back, side, and/or front yard.

I have three dogs and a medium-sized fenced-in backyard on my property in Johnson City. Unlike cats, who (mostly) do their business in a litter box, my dogs have a much larger litter box that I call the backyard.

Cleaning up after two large Greyhounds and one small Whippet who seems to leave as many "presents" as the Greyhounds, is a chore I'm not fond of. But then again, I don't know anyone who enjoys picking up and disposing of dog poo.

Doggy Land Mines Good Or Bad?

Now here's the question - Is it okay to leave dog poop in your backyard? Well, for starters, that means the end of using your backyard for any activities. That is unless you like to pretend you are Indiana Jones and enjoy trying to side-step around those doggy land mines.

According to the website POOP 911 (yes that is a legitimate website),  if you leave dog waste to decompose in your yard, expect it to take about a year, and in the meantime, your lawn will look brown and patchy. There is a simple fix, though...regularly pick up that dog poo to help bring your lawn back to its natural state. No brainer there.

POOP 911 notes that, unlike cow manure which IS good for vegetation, dog waste is not, because it is not a fertilizer. Since dog diets and what they eat are much different from a cow's, your dog food creates a highly acidic waste product and that's not good for the grass on your lawn.

What Does The Law Say?

Now the other question - Is it against the law in your municipality to let dog waste lie when your pup did his or her business? Well, I'm not sure about your municipality, but in Binghamton, New York, while I didn't find any specific rules for an owner's private property, the City of Binghamton website, Article III - Disposal of Canine Waste states:

§178.25 - It shall be unlawful for any dog owner or person having possession, custody, or control of any dog to allow such dog to defecate on public or private property over the objection of the owner of such property.

§178.26 - It shall be the duty of each dog owner or person having possession, custody, or control of a dog to remove any feces left by his or her dog on any sidewalk, gutter, street, grassy area between the street and sidewalk, park, school yard or other public property and to dispose of the same in a safe and sanitary manner. at all.

There you go. As much as we don't like to deal with it, pick up and properly dispose of that dog poo Humans and lawns will be happy you did.