Julie Menin Launches Creative New Anti-Dog Waste Contest
| 22 Mar 2023 | 12:50
Councilwoman Julie Menin has come up with a creative solution for the problem of dog waste in her district. Photo: District 5.
One of the most frequent complaints that Councilwoman Julie Menin’s office receives concerns the abundance of dog waste in the sidewalks and parks of the Upper East Side.
So she came up with a creative solution to the problem.
Menin is establishing a ‘Curb Your Dog’ contest, open to residents of District 5 on the UES. Entrants are encouraged to submit creative graphic designs and slogans for her new dog waste cleanup campaign.
The city’s battle against the proliferation of dog waste has been a protracted one. The ‘Curb Your Dog’ law, passed in 1978, carries a $250 fine for failing to clean up dog waste left on sidewalks or other public spaces.
The problem was highlighted by a New York Post article on page 2 of the March 22 edition, the same day Menin unveiled her contest. “Sidewalks of Doo York City” the Post headline blared, “Fury at Dog Owners.”
The article quoted Frank DeGaetano, a retired dentist who actually lives on Staten Island but said he visits friends on the UES a couple of times a week. “The Upper East Side is supposedly a good neighborhood, but it’s full of s--t,” he complaned. “I’ve gotta keep looking down. You gotta watch where you’re going. It’s like a maze. You gotta step around or over it.”
“This contest will serve as a reminder to dog owners to take responsibility for cleaning up after their beloved pet,” Councilwoman Menin said. “It’s frankly unacceptable and should be an expectation, not an option to pick up your dog’s waste,” said Councilwoman Menin.
“I launched this campaign to ensure dog owners curb their dog, as it shouldn’t be the norm to dodge canine waste or worry about tracking fecal bacteria back into your home on your shoes, stroller, or shopping cart.”
Contest parameters are as follows:
● The competition is only open to residents of District 5, or students who attend school in District 5.
● All entries must contain an image or slogan that relates to curbing your dog and should be able to be distributed across the district.
● The designs must be scaled to fit a 11” by 8.5” landscape.
● Submissions must be in landscape format in JPEG or PNG files.
● Entrants should make sure that the entry appeals to a broad audience community.
● All entries become the property of the Office of Council Member Julie Menin.
● Entries are limited to one per person and must be your own work.
All entries must include your first name, last name, address, and email address and sent in a PNG or JPEG format to curbyourdog.district5@gmail.com between March 23, 2023 and April 22, 2023. The judging period will begin on April 23, 2023 and end on May 1st, 2023.
The winner will be announced on May 1st. The winning design will be displayed across Council District 5 partnering buildings, schools, neighborhood associations, and featured on social media platforms of Council Member Menin.