Besides being a nuisance, uncollected dog waste is a serious problem for our association. Next time you’re tempted to leave your dog’s droppings on the lawn, please remember these facts:

1. The Environmental Protection Agency is becoming aggressive about enforcing the Clean Water Act. Our association could be fined if dog waste goes uncollected.

2. Uncollected dog waste may lead to a special assessment. If fined by the EPA, the association could face a potential special assessment that would be levied against all members—not just dog owners.

3. The appearance and quality of the common areas are known to affect home sales—not just whether and for how much they sell, but how quickly.

4. The more residents complain about dog waste, the more time the manager must spend on enforcement rather than serving the association.

5. Uncollected dog waste spreads disease and attracts rodents who feed on pet waste.