HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 8558 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 8558
T, X January 13, 2004
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council
LA., Page 1 of 1
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$ � SUBJECT: REQUIREMENT FOR PET OWNERS TO PICK UP ANIMAL WASTE
Council has asked the Public Health Department staff to research enforcement of the City ordinance relating
to pet owners who do not pick up after their pets on public or private property.
The City has a nuisance ordinance, Chapter 7, Sec. 16-294, to address offensive or health-threatening
situations. This ordinance states:
"No person shall deposit or allow to accumulate on private property, or discharge from any place onto
private or public property in the City, any dead animal, human or animal waste, foul water, solid
waste or any noxious liquid waste."
In order to better enforce this ordinance, the Animal Care and Control Division has established the following
process:
1. Any resident aggrieved by the animal waste section of the violation above shall complete an affidavit
form provided by the Animal Care and Control Division which would provide the name and address
of the person who owns the animal; a description of the animal; and the date, time and location of the
incident.
2. A citation may then be issued or a warning notice may be mailed.
3. The person filing the affidavit will be called upon to appear as a witness in any subsequent court
action.
4. Citations may also be given by animal control officers who witness these violations.
To educate the public about the ordinance, the Fort Worth Public Health Department will place news articles
in both the City Times and City Page and send an article to neighborhood associations via e-mail to be
published in their newsletters. Our education efforts will focus both on urging pet owners to clean up after
their pets and the process by which citizens can report violators. An attempt will be made to attract some
media attention on the subject.
As the public becomes aware of this process we expect the number of complaints to increase. The process
will involve customer service and dispatch staff as well as animal control officers. We will monitor the level
of activity and if the negative impact on other functions becomes too great we will report back to City
Council. If you have additional questions please don't hesitate to contact Public Health Director Dan Reimer
or Assistant city Manager Libby Watson.
. Ja s n
IF ,ty Manager
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS