The New York state Assembly has passed a bill authorizing New York City to increase the maximum fine for owners not cleaning up their dogs’ waste in public.
The bill, which the city’s sanitation department requested, would still need support from the state Senate and governor before it could be made into law, but state Assemblywoman Audrey Pheffer, who is sponsoring the bill, has said she’s confident there will be no obstacles.
If the bill becomes law, the maximum fine for not cleaning up after dogs would more than double, and go from the current $100 to $250.
New York City instituted its now widely imitated "pooper scooper" law in 1978. But most dog owners end up paying only $50.
According to NYC’s ‘pooper scooper’ law, dog owners must place any canine feces in a toilet or place it in a non-leaking container and deposit it in a litter basket.
Police, sanitation and parks personnel can all ticket owners caught leaving the scene without cleaning their dog’s mess up.