“I was delighted to see the article in a recent Dispatch about members of an apartment complex in Minnesota having to submit DNA samples from their pets to help identify the owners of dogs who repeatedly left poop on the property. Here in Gilroy, I am amazed by the frequently left droppings from dogs in the area encompassed by Mantelli, Calle del Rey and the Luigi Aprea School areas. Just this morning I counted six separate droppings on the sidewalk along the Pacific West Christian School's side area on Calle del Rey and could not begin to count the piles left on the dirt area long the rest of the school property. The same holds true along many other streets in the area to the point I don't dare look up at the lovely surrounding views while walking my dog in the mornings, as I have to be very vigilant about where I step. Additionally some neighbors who do pick up the droppings, toss the filled baggies behind someone's shrubbery or by a light pole. Not only do Gilroy residents have a responsibility to clean up after their pets, they obviously feel no responsibility to respect their neighborhood and fellow residents. Wise up, you guys. Tomorrow you just might be the one to step in a pile of it! Bring on the DNA samples!”
Red Phone: Dear Pooped Out Resident, Thank you for your reminder about picking up after pets. It is important for each individual person to do his or her part to keep the city looking good. One of the responsibilities of owning a dog is cleaning up after it. In the old days, people used to have to pick up the poop in a plastic bag and risk having to get their hands dirty. Not any more. Now there are devices that can grab the particles, and you never have to get your hands dirty. Some of the pooper scoopers can even function as walking sticks. They have a claw that can retract when not needed. It is hard to image pooper police using DNA to catch offending dumpers, but it might not be a bad idea. Some entrepreneuring people are even finding ways to make money by scooping up droppings, former veterinarian and Dispatch columnist Pete Keesling mentioned last month. He said that poop-scooping is a $600 million industry in this country, according to some estimates. Maybe someone can find a way to make a couple bucks here and make the streets a little cleaner.
