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.POoper S.cooPer ..Ordi,na. nce may, <br />soon-trail,inconsiderate dog owners <br /> <br />by Jim Boyle <br />Staff .writer <br /> Elk River city officials may <br />soon work on a pooper scooper <br />ordinance. <br /> The impetus behind talk of a <br />possible' baggy law is incon- <br />siderate dog oWners who let <br />their animals poop along city <br />trails without 'cleaning. up' <br />after them. <br /> Jeff Bulgar, who lives along <br />Mississippi Road where a <br />trail 'was installed a few. years <br />ago, is pushing for the city to <br />do sOmething.. <br /> <br />Bulgar has gotten used to <br />having the trail. In fact, he <br />says he has met a lot of nice <br />people. He doesn't even mind <br />picking up litter along the <br />trail. <br />But when it gets to dogs <br />leaving droppings behind for <br />residents to clean up, he says <br />it's getting to be too much. <br />"I think the city needs to <br />adopt something," he told <br />council members at the April <br />-17 cpuncil'meeting. . <br />Bulgar said'one of his r~eigh- <br />bors. brought a' shovel out to <br /> <br />one woman whose dog had left <br />a mess, .and she refused to <br />clean it up. <br /> Residents-along the Missis- <br />sippi Road trail are not/the <br />only ones concerned.. <br />.The issue came up at a <br />recent Elk River Park and <br />Recreation Commission meet- <br />ing, where it was noted that <br />the problem was occurring ·at <br />Woodland Trails Park, accord- <br />ing to Michele McPherson, the <br />city's directOr~ of planning. <br /> City Administrator 'Pat <br />Klaers. agrees that the city <br /> <br /> should have an ordinance. <br /> "We have gotten by thinking <br /> people will be considerate and <br /> clean up after their own ani- <br /> mals,'' Klaers said.' "For the <br /> most part people have been <br /> considerate." <br /> City Attorney Peter Beck <br /> said other cities have institut- <br /> ed baggy ordinances, which <br /> require owners to clean up <br /> after their animals. <br /> Police Chief Tom Zerwas <br />says an ordinance would give <br />'police a t0ol to deal with the. <br /> issUe, and could be effective. <br /> <br /> <br />