WEST PALM BEACH, FLA (April 18, 2022) – West Palm Beach loves pets, but please remember to properly dispose of pet waste. Picking up after your dog can help keep our city clean and beautiful, prevent harmful nutrients from entering waterways, and keep pets and people healthy. Pet waste should never be left on the ground, roads and sidewalks or disposed in storm drains and water bodies.

Why:

• Improper disposal of pet waste is unsanitary and can lead to disease transmission between dogs. Children who play outside or gardeners are at risk for contamination.
• Pet waste can affect water quality. Nutrients that are carried by stormwater can contaminate our waterways, damage the environment, and harm wildlife.
• Improper disposal of pet waste can lead to an unpleasant experience for anyone who steps in it.
• Proper disposal of pet waste can help keep our neighborhoods and our city beautiful and clean!

What you can do:

• Always clean up after your dog on walks. Carry a biodegradable bag and scooper with you to remove your dog’s waste.
• Dispose of pet waste in a designated pet container or trash. Some communities provide pet waste containers for residents.
• Do not dispose of pet waste in storm drains or waterways. Do not leave on the road or on sidewalks.
• Share the importance of picking up after pets with other pet owners.

Per the City’s Code of Ordinances Chapter 74, Article 1, Section 74.4 (k), all pet owners and keepers are required to immediately, without delay properly dispose of their pet's solid waste deposited on any property, public or private, not owned or possessed by that person by placement of the pet solid waste in a designated waste receptacle, or discarded in a refuse or other suitable container which is regularly emptied by the city or some other refuse collector. Any owner or keeper who requires the use of a disability assistance or service animal shall be exempt from the provision of this section while such animal is being used for that purpose.