Poll: Miamians weigh in on dog poop etiquette debate
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.

Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios
Yesterday we asked you to weigh in on the debate that's been tearing our society apart for years: Is it OK to put dog poop bags in your neighbor's trash cans?
- 180 of you responded to our call out, which asked, "What do you do with your dog's poop?
A majority of you (71%) said you take it home or put it in a public trash can.
- 27% of you answered that you put it in the nearest receptacle, even if it's someone's personal trash can.
- Two of you sadly answered, "I'm a scourge on society so I just leave it where it was deposited."
What they're saying: A ton of you emailed us your arguments for and against dumping doo doo in a neighbor's dumpster.
⚖️ Evan M. wrote, "As a dog owner, I get the appeal of the convenience of using whatever can is closest, but I think this is a slippery slope. Morally, it's contextual: if the can is about to be picked up...and you don't trespass to access it, what's the harm? "
- "Practically, this could get more people to actually pick up poop instead of leaving it, and I'd happily offer my can to passersby for this reason."
- "Legally, however, I think this is dangerous. This is illegal dumping into someone's private property without their consent, I can't support that policy. Where do you draw the line, just pet waste? What about other types of waste to dispose of when convenient? I would prefer to just better fund public areas so more purpose-built pet receptacles are installed."
🏃🏻♀️ Cami C. wrote, "You should be able to drop off the poop in the nearest trash can. It's trash! People are so precious about their trash can as if your trash is better than mine. Also, have you tried running with poop tied to the leash?"
🦎 Lelia H. from Pinecrest shared a truly terrifying story about dumping dog poop in a neighbor's bin.
- "During Covid I threw a poop bag in someone else's garbage which was the only time I have ever done that."
- "The owner came out swinging his poker thing and made me do a deep dive into his garbage only to find the poop bag was resting on 2 large freshly killed pregnant iguanas."
- "I don't know who was more of a jerk him or me!"
