Dog Waste on Pulaski County Properties Causing Headaches for Maintenance Staff

Pulaski County officials are looking to crack down on pet owners who don’t clean up after their dogs on county property.

Last week, Maintenance Supervisor Jeff Johnston asked the county commissioners to put an ordinance in place. “Normally, it wouldn’t be that big of a deal, but this last month, it has been amazing,” he said. “So I’d like to see if there’s something we can do with that. If that means that I have to put small stations out by the county buildings for people to put this stuff into, it’d be a lot easier for my folks to grab one bag and go, rather than spend two hours out there cleaning this stuff up.” Johnston said the problem is mainly on the courthouse lawn and in the areas around the Justice Center.

Commissioner Mike McClure suggested dealing with the issue as part of a larger nuisance ordinance that could also address come of the county’s housing issues. Director of Environmental Health Terri Hansen has called for the county to implement some sort of occupancy permit system, to help hold landlords accountable.

In the meantime, Commissioner Kenny Becker suggested installing signs on county properties to encourage residents to clean up after their pets.