As a daily commuter from Wall Street station to Exchange Place, I am subjected, along with countless other pedestrians, to the intolerable smell of urine and the unsightly presence of dog feces on our shared city streets. This reality is not only annoying, but it has potential to pose health risks to children, pedestrians, and other household pets.

High-traffic areas such as Exchange Place have become disproportionately infested by this, depriving residents of their rights to clean, safe, and enjoyable sidewalks. It's about time we address this matter seriously.

The solution? A multi-pronged approach: (1) potential establishment of designated areas in the city for dogs to defecate and (2) implementation of an annual sanitation fee for dog owners in Manhattan. The latter would help fund the maintenance of the designated areas and ensure periodic clean-up of our city streets, making Manhattan a better place for everyone – dog owners, non-dog owners, and dogs themselves. 

In the US, more than 60 million homes have dogs. In New York City alone, 600,000 dogs are registered. If each of these dogs produces an average of half a pound of waste daily, that's hundreds of tons of dog waste generated every day (American Pet Products Association, 2020). This consumption to waste cycle continues unabated with serious implications for the environment and public health.

Therefore, we call upon the authorities of Manhattan to act swiftly and decisively for the establishment of a dog waste management system that includes designated defecation areas and an annual sanitation charge for dog owners. It's time to hold the people accountable who aren't currently being respectful of our shared space. I won't say I have all the answers, because I absolutely do not, but something needs to be done. Please share any and all ideas that you think could be beneficial to the end-goal here. Let's take back our city streets and restore cleanliness to our walks and the safety of our shared environment. Please sign the petition.