Philly's dog poop piles up in "Snowmaggedon's" gross aftermath
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios
That's not a lemon-lime snow cone or a fudgesicle waiting for you on Philly's snow-covered streets.
Why it matters: Residents are incensed. Some are even flooding online forums to complain about how dogs are "making a mess of this fine city."
- Add doggy dung to the list of gripes about how city officials have handled "Snowmaggedon," but it's hard to blame the mayor for this brownfield.
State of play: Across neighborhoods, parks, and on sidewalks in Philly, slowly melting snow drifts are turning to turd pits.
- Even with a steep drop in crime, Philly police aren't reassigning officers to poop patrol.
- They'll ticket you $100 if they catch you letting your dog doo-doo and dash, but the city isn't exactly rushing to ramp up enforcement.
What they're saying: That's left residents, many who must maintain the sidewalks in front of their houses, steaming-pile-of-you-know-what mad.
- "We're reeling over the lack of city services," John Scott, president of the Fishtown Neighbors Association, tells Axios. "And this is one of the things that's falling apart as well."
Yes, but: Residents insist the arctic-like conditions aren't an excuse for people refusing to pick up after their furry friends.
- If your dog regularly gives you the "reverse Uno," crapping twice on walks, pack extra bags, one person wrote.
- "It's unbelievable," another wrote. "I've lived in Philadelphia almost 25 years, and it's never even been close to this bad."
Zoom out: Some places are so desperate to solve the problem they're pulling out all the high-tech stops, like it's an episode of "Forensic Files."
- One Philly burbs apartment complex warned residents they'd face steep fines if collected waste samples are matched to their dogs' DNA swabs.
Reality check: Same crap, different day in Philly.
- A quick glance at city 311 data shows dog refuse has been a common gripe for years — even before Mayor Cherelle Parker pledged to make Philly "safer, cleaner, greener."
The other side: Others pointed out that the turds are just more noticeable against the white snow.
The bottom line: Rain, sleet or snow, the dog poop's gotta go.
- So do us all a favor: Put on your warmest Mr. Rogers sweater vest before going out in the cold and letting Fido do his business. Your neighbors are counting on you.