Waste pickup is down

Andrew Edwards

In welcome news for pet owners, park visitors and just about anyone

who likes clean shoes and water, the company that picks up dog waste

in Laguna Beach reported finding less to clean up in 2003.

Entre-Manure Dog Waste Removal Services, based in Dana Point,

contracts with the city to do the dirty work in Laguna parks. The

company informed city officials 480 pounds of waste was cleaned up

during the past year, a 30% reduction from previous numbers.

City Manager Ken Frank suggested to the council in a Dec. 31 memo

the reduction in waste could be traced to the installation of

dispensers at the Bark Park that supply free dog waste bags to

visitors.

However, Craig Stern, owner of Entre-Manure Dog Waste Removal

Services, offered another explanation, saying he spent less time

cleaning Moulton Meadows park, a problem area, in 2003 than in 2002:

Volunteers in that park probably contributed to the reduced level of

waste, he said.

Stern said 162 pounds of dog waste were collected at Moulton

Meadows in 2003, compared to 223 pounds in 2002.

“There’s a major problem up there,” he said.

At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Councilman Wayne Baglin

encouraged Lagunans not to give Entre-Manure any extra work.

Though waste found at Moulton Meadows shows that not all

dog-walkers follow regulations, others take care to do their part to

keep the park clean.

Laguna resident Ron Firestone, who lives near Moulton Meadows and

owns a golden retriever named Cody, keeps an e-mail list of about 50

dog owners who try to make sure Moulton Meadows, and the nearby fire

road in the adjacent county-owned Aliso and Wood Canyons Regional

Park, stay clean and safe.

Firestone said the people on his list “try to police the area

ourselves,” and are not only concerned with waste around the fire

road but also try to make sure aggressive animals do not threaten

people or their dogs. He added that dog walkers recommend people take

their dogs to the fire road to reduce the risk of messes at Moulton

Meadows proper, where many kids play soccer.

Much less waste was collected at the dog park, where Entre-Manure

picks up waste every other week. Stern said 96 pounds of waste were

collected there in 2003.

On Tuesday afternoon, the bag dispensers at the dog park were

empty, but a supply of plastic bags, like those found at grocery

stores, was attached to the chain-link fence at the entrance to the

park.

Visitors to the dog park, who often travel from other south Orange

County cities to let their dogs run free in the grass and socialize

with other canines, said they did not consider dog waste to be a

significant problem at that park.

“The waste is fixable. People clean up after themselves or other

people,” said Aliso Viejo resident Shari Kolbo, who visited the park

with her Boston terrier named Spencer.

Though dog owners at the park agreed most visitors keep up a good

effort to keep the park clean, some acknowledged they do not always

realize when their pet makes a mess.

“It doesn’t take to long for them to do something without you

knowing it,: said Brooke Lang, a Mission Viejo resident who came to

the park with Dakota, a Shiba Inu puppy.

Laguna resident Phil Trocky had a chance to demonstrate good

citizenship at the park by cleaning up after Hank, his Chesapeake

retriever.

“I mark it, I get a bag, and that way I’m playing by the rules,”

Trocky said.

According to information of the city Water Department Web site,

pet waste can pose an environmental hazard, as runoff that flows into

storm drains is not treated before mixing with other waterways.

Runoff from the dog park can contaminate Laguna Canyon Creek,

which flows into the ocean.