Is it just us or is there dog poop everywhere?

As our aforementioned title states, what’s the scoop (or no scoop) on dog poop on what seems like every corner of Astoria? The culprit (s) seem to have no regard, and are simply leaving their dog’s waste in the middle of anywhere they please: the sidewalk, the corner, the grass.

As per the Department of Sanitation: “Each person who owns or controls a dog must remove any feces left by that dog on any sidewalk, gutter, street, or other public area and dispose of it in a legal manner.  The person may remove the feces and carry them away with him/her for disposal in a toilet or their own litter basket.  The feces may also be placed in a non-leaking sealed bag or container and deposited in a DSNY litter basket.  The provisions of this law do not apply to a guide dog accompanying any blind person.” However, despite the maximum $250 fine, some owners still refuse to pick up after their pet.

So, what do you think: should fines be raised? Does it depend on the individual dog owner? Is this all just chaos? Let us hear your thoughts below!