Queen Village is following Old City’s lead when it comes to keeping the sidewalks clean.
Scooping dog poop: It’s a dirty job but someone’s got to do it. And that someone should be the dog owner, though not everyone follows the rules of the road — or sidewalk. But thanks to a few dedicated members of the Queen Village Neighborhood Association (QVNA) and QVK9 — a group of neighborhood-conscious pet owners — dog waste disposal is about to get easier. No more leaning on that “I forgot a poop bag at home” excuse, or “the dog ate my poop bag.”
Queen Village is installing 10 containers that are not only specifically intended for dog waste, but also equipped with the necessary bags to clean up after Fido. “When Brent Chavis and I came on this board two years ago it was our mission,” says QVNA member Honey Pertnoy, referring to the proper removal of dog waste.
QVNA took a page from Old City’s book. Janet Kalter and Joe Schiavo of the now defunct Old City Civic Association were trailblazers in the fight against dirty streets when they put up similar waste bins early last year. “We got the containers and bags from them,” explains Pertnoy. “Now you’ll see the same thing when you walk through Old City and Queen Village.”
Ten local businesses have agreed to sponsor one contain a piece, and with that comes the responsibility of keeping it maintained. Among them are Barkadelphia, Jane the Pet Nanny, Jinxed/Tucker’s Digs, QV Animal Hospital, and Walk it Like a Dog.
Pertnoy, who has two dogs of her own, explains how this initiative will help to keep the streets clean and improve the relationship between pet owners and non-owners. “Most people pick up their dog waste properly, but there are always some who don’t. People leave it on the sidewalk or in the grass and give all dog owners a bad name. We wanted to make it convenient for dog owners to remove it and throw it away.”
Where to find the containers
There are already seven containers in place, at these locations:
Second and Christian
Third and Fitzwater
Bainbridge between Third and Fourth
Christian and Columbus
Front and Bainbridge
Front and Lombard
Washington and Water
