By Doug Dickson, President
Desert Ridge Community Association
Did you know that Desert Ridge has become one of the premier communities in Phoenix? We have a fantastic location, incredible recreational facilities, great schools and a crime rate that’s less than half of the Phoenix average. Our residents are outgoing, engaged and some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. All of these factors contribute to a rich, high quality of life. We’ve certainly been blessed and it’s important for each of us to help maintain our beautiful community.
Although we’ve made real progress, one area that still needs improvement is the amount of pet waste found throughout our parks, washes and common areas. Not only is it unsightly, but pet waste is also a biohazard. It contains E. coli bacteria, salmonellosis, campylobacteriosis, roundworms, gastroenteritis, giardiasis, cryptosporidiosis and even tuberculosis. Simply put, pet waste is a serious health risk for everyone in Desert Ridge, especially our children who play outside and are at the highest risk for infection from these bacteria and parasites.
Always clean up after your pet by bagging and placing your pet’s waste in one of the 42 pet stations located throughout the community. Employees from AAA Landscaping empty these containers every few days and do a terrific job, but they won’t work if they are not used.
Failure to clean up after your pet is actually against the law and violates Phoenix Solid Waste Ordinance 27-12. Violation of this ordinance is a Class 1 misdemeanor and is subject to a civil sanction of $100 to $2,500.
Things we can all do to reduce pet waste pollution:
1. Be a responsible pet owner and clean up after your pet.
2. Bag waste and place it in the garbage.
3. Never dispose of pet waste into a storm drain.
4. Encourage other pet owners to also be responsible.
This is a serious issue for each of us, dog owner or not. Those who own pets, must clean up after them; those who don’t can help out by reminding others to be responsible. Either way, we must create a community attitude that leaving pet waste is irresponsible and simply not acceptable.
Let’s all do our part. Protect your family, your community and your pets by helping us clean up pet waste!
Thanks again and I look forward to seeing you around the neighborhood.
