It’s a byproduct of having your furry family members that no pet owner likes to own up to. However, with temperatures rising and days lengthening, cleaning up after your pet becomes an issue for more people than you may think.
In the years spent working for Carbon School District as a custodian, Lisa Torres has seen her fair share of problems arise from community members not picking up after their pets.
Many individuals in the community use the school grounds during the summer for walking their dogs, according to Torres. The problem, though, comes when said individuals choose not to clean up after their pets.
During the summer, several of the schools in Carbon School District have a variety of programs including sports events, summer lunch programs and others where children still take advantage of the schools’ playground equipment despite the fact that school is no longer in session.
“I’ve got other things to attend to,” Torres said. “Our whole grass area is either school field or playground area so we have children all over.”
Torres referenced times in the past when youth from the county have used the soccer field at Creekview Elementary for games and the resulting mess that comes from not cleaning up after a pet.
The issue affects not only the children involved but also the custodial staff and pet owners who oftentimes are offended at reprimands from the custodians.
“It’s not that we’re being mean,” Torres said. “We’re tired of the students stepping in it, bringing it into the school.”
Torres, who has spent the last four years employed at Creekview but previously was stationed at Carbon High School, has seen the problem in both areas as well as other areas around the community and feels that it is high time for something to be done.
“Just be responsible wherever you take your dogs,” she said. “There’s other places you can go besides a school or a church.”
