Pet-related sanitation new buzzword OR,Scoop your pet's poop, say hsg societies

PUNE: An increasing number of housingsocieties across the city are framing rules to allocate specific spaces withintheir premises where pets may defecate. Alternately, it has been made mandatoryfor owners/ domestic help walking the dogs to 'scoop the poop' to keep commonspaces like the clubhouse, jogging track and children's parkclean.The recently introduced practice also helps avoid argumentsbetween neighbours and ensures a harmonious coexistence.Sanjeev Mohan, managing committee member of the Cloud 9 society on NIBM Road, said, "Ours is a bungalow society and it is quite easy for residents to construct sand pits for their pets in the garden. To allow your pet to defecate on the manicured lawns of the children's play area or the clubhouse is unacceptable. Failing the construction of sandpits, it has been made compulsory for owners to 'scoop the poop' and clean up the mess. It causes some resentment, but is an accepted sanitary practice the world over."Percis Katpitia, residentof Raheja Garden in Wanowrie, said, "Dogs are allowed only in some buildings andthere too, they may be walked only in some designated spaces. The practice isimplemented stringently and regular notices are put up. In some cases, fines maybe charged."Amjad Akkalkotar, former managing committee member ofthe 100-flat Cloverdale Housing Society in Koregaon Park, said, "We have strictrules against pets defecating around the club-house or in the children's playarea. Either construct sandpits in your home, or clean up the mess, as your petis definitely your responsibility. Over a period of time, people have begun tocooperate."Gulzaar Sayyed, owner of a flat in Landmark Gardens,Kalyaninagar, said, "Newer housing societies across the city have clear cutguidelines about pet-related sanitation and our society follows suit. Pets mayonly use certain corners, and it is the owners' responsibility to ensure therule is implemented. We also ask members to construct sand pits on the terraceand train the dog to use it."Similarly, Kabir Ahuja, former residentof the Clover Waterfront Society in Kalyaninagar, said the society has strictguidelines about keeping the premises clean. "As part of the guidelines, petscan only be walked in a certain part of the society."Housingsocieties that do not have such a rule in place are considering taking it up aswell. "We have had several fights in our society about dogs soiling the gardenmeant for children. Worse, ours is a bungalow society and there are people whohave no issues with their dog ruining someone else's garden. The managingcommittee is now considering designating a specific corner for pets and finingowners whose dogs dirty common spaces. The maintenance staff complains as well.We hope that our next general body meeting approves the rule," said a residentof a housing society in Wakad-Rahatni, which has over 120houses.