I love this community and almost everything about it. Businesses that fit many basic needs, including the essentials like food, beer, salons, coffee, a gym to work off the food and beer, and a dry cleaner are just a few. Accessibility to the airport and several routes into the city are also bonuses. Now if I could only get normal groceries, I’d be in homeowner heaven! Would it kill our grocer to sell a few cases of diet coke?

Moving along…

When Carl asked for article writers for Everything West Village, I jumped at the opportunity not knowing what I would write about, just that I wanted to be involved. He said it could be anything related to the community. Sick as it may sound, the first topic to pop into my mind was dog poop. It’s a war that I don’t expect to win, but rather to create awareness about. In the process, perhaps I’ll be able to shame the guilty into picking up their poop. Whether it is here at the Flats or within the WV community, I’ve seen far too much lying around. The kicker is that the remains are rarely more than 100 feet away from a dog waste station. My favorite turds are the ones sitting within a few feet of a trash can. Trust me, they don’t jump high enough on their own to reach the lip of the can.

It’s not just your dog’s doodie, it’s your duty too!

Let’s start of with some Poo-pular misconceptions (and excuses)…

Poo is biodegradable – Oh it is, but over weeks! Trust me, it’s still there long after you walk back up to your flat to un-pause Judge Judy.

My dog is smarter than your dog – My dog (Kobe) knows a lot of tricks, commands, and hand signals but apparently many owners are under the impression that their dogs have the inherent ability and skills to poop, and bury their own poop. I can only assume that’s the case if you are not picking it up. If that’s so, teach them to flush and never take them outside.

The Poo Fairy – She/He doesn’t exist. It was probably me that picked it up.

The Turd Burglar – See Poo Fairy

We’re out of Poo Bags – It happens less frequently now. In fact, it may be months since the last bag drought. Solution: use one of those Publix or Kroger bags that you’ve stockpiled under the kitchen sink. Any plastic bag will do, the bags at the station are not any better at picking up poo. And yes, if you find that the station is dry, come back out to pick it up. Poo is a stalker that will still be waiting for you when you come back outside.

TIP – tie a plastic bag or two to your leash. That way you always have a bag on you and can pick it up during a walk to deposit at the next station.

It’s Raining! – One of my fav’s happens when it rains and that’s when your dog decides “it’s time”. So, instead of waiting for your dog to grow a tail while you wait impatiently under the awning …grab your umbrella and some crappy shoes and follow your dog to food’s final resting place. Really.

Your friend/sister/cousin is dog-sitting. They didn’t know – tell them. Make it dog rule #2 after feed and hydrate.

There are many other reasons for not picking up your doodie, but out of respect for time and space I’m cutting it short.

How it affects you as a homeowner could have longer lasting effects than the unpleasant smell before your morning run or walk to the car on your way to work.

Let’s explore some, shall we?

Home Value

With the attraction of Live-Work-Play communities, potential home buyers are coming and going out of the West Village well beyond the sale of the last model. Our grassy areas are not expansive at all but fit snuggly along the pedestrian walkways. Those grassy areas double as dog litter boxes. As prospective home buyers (not to mention our friends and family) walk through our complex, nothing says “What a beautiful community” more than a steamy pile of yesterday’s Science Diet. Unfortunately, one dog’s poo can reflect poorly on the entire community. Is that a deal breaker for someone looking to get into a F@WV condo? I can’t say with any certainty, but in today’s economy I’d like to fill up a buyer’s pro list while keeping the cons to a minimum.

HOA

If dog waste starts to become a serious problem and it is deemed necessary to hire someone to come in and take care of that problem, it takes a bite out of our HOA dues. I can’t speak for everyone but personally I’d rather our funds go towards making sure elevators are safe and work properly, security, and general maintenance. Adding Dog-poo-picker-upper to an already stressed HOA account could increase our monthly premium. For renters, I’m sure that the buck will be passed down to you as well.

Disease

One of the most often overlooked reasons for cleaning up seemingly non-toxic waste could be the most expensive and potentially deadly to your animals and children. Parasites live in what our dogs leave behind. Has your pooch ever curiously sniffed or stepped in a freshly laid dog log? Mine too. It wasn’t until Kobe started to hemorrhage violently that I took him into the veterinarian only to find out that he contracted whipworms. The first question out of the doc’s mouth was, “Does he do his business in an area where other dogs do the same?” That’s where my education into the realm of parasites in poop began. When all was said, done, poked, prodded and sampled I was out a cool $450+. The incident was scary for me and especially for poor Kobe.

Other parasites found in dog waste – Hookworms, Roundworms, Tapeworms, Giardiasis, Coccidiosis. The first two can penetrate human skin. Figure it out from there. Ever walk in the yard with sandals?

Because quite frankly, I’m sick of seeing that $H!T

On a personal note – and I’m aware that I might be speaking for a greater group – nothing gets my day off to a fresh start more than walking Kobe outside only to be greeted with chocolate dog croissants. Ladies and gents, size really doesn’t really matter in this case either. Just that it’s there… and I almost stepped in it…again!

Remember, the area around the Flats at West Village is a backyard of sorts, which you happen to share with 90 other units. The same can be said on a greater scale with the main WV community. As a dog owner, I’m doing my part and know that a vast majority of you are doing the same. Whether you are a homeowner or renter, I hope you take a vested interest in keeping this community looking beautiful in an effort to attract more businesses, which attract more visitors, which can only make this community a more desirable place to be. Even without the diet coke.

Dog waste stations can be found throughout the community.

• Two at the Flats – one located in the common area between the 100 and 200 building, and one adjacent to the 200 building garage
• Two are found on the walk from the Flats to Starbucks
• Two more are strategically placed within the boulevard which runs down through the center of West Village