April 17, 2008

Canines soil business district sidewalks

Journal photo by Jennifer Larsen

Pick it up! Dog owners are the topic of this sign posted on the outside of the window at the former location of Vango’s on Main Avenue last Thursday.

By Stephen McFadden

Publisher

For weeks, business owners and community members have complained about the presence of what seems like countless piles of fecal matter on the sidewalks outside their stores. The randomly dispersed, messy piles have been deposited by a number of local dogs, many of which are walked in the downtown area by their owners.

Last Thursday one disgruntled and unidentified individual posted a sign on the window of Vango’s, announcing their frustration with the issue: “Attention dog owners, please scoop after your dogs. Show some respect for your downtown.”

City Clerk/Treasurer David Grove confirmed that a city ordinance makes it illegal for citizens to allow their pets to do “their business” anywhere in the city without cleaning up after them.

The Ritzville Municipal Code specifically addresses the issue as noted in this excerpt of the code under section 5.20.140 where “Fail to remove the fecal matter deposited by his animal, or an animal in his custody or control, on public property, such as parks, sidewalks, streets, playgrounds, and other public ways, or private property of another, before the owner leaves the immediate area where the fecal matter was deposited.”

According to the city code, failure to clean up and/or pick up after a pet is considered a civil infraction. The code also states that a civil infraction applies when: “In the absence of a specific penalty, violation of a city ordinance is a civil infraction punishable by a fine of up to $500. Each day of violation shall be considered a separate offense.”