Our friends over at OffSeventh are, if you pardon the expression, losing their shit over some pet owners’ inability to pick up after their pooches. They’re up in arms over a monumental amount of dog waste occupying a strip of sidewalk on 9th Street. The city is littered with signs warning people to curb their dogs, or face a weighty ticket. Yet it’s clear that a few dog walkers still aren’t scooping the poop. Sure, it’s disgusting to step in waste while running in the park or making your way to work, but each dog dropping that gets, intentionally or by accident, left outside can contribute to wider problems.

The National Park Service warns that dog waste in Rock Creek Park encourages weed growth and can be swept into the Chesapeake, where it causes significant damage to the ecosystem. Feces can also hurt other pets, exposing them to disease and parasites.

So what’s a frustrated poop spotter to do? For a significant amount of pet waste on the sidewalk, you can call the Department of Public Works via the Mayor’s Call Center at (202) 727-1000. But what about catching offenders red handed? When you see an irresponsible dog walker, do you politely hand them a plastic bag or just grumble under your breath? Is the occasional heel-full of dog doo an inevitable part of urban life?

Photo by Flickr user digitaldefection.