What You Can Do To Help Protect Our Water

Clean and plentiful water is important to our families, our environment, our economy and our quality of life.
Did you know that animal waste from pets can pollute our waters?  When left on the ground, pet waste is washed by rain and melting snow and ice into storm drains that carry it to our rivers, lakes, the ocean and drinking water.
Animal waste contains a high concentration of nutrients as well as bacteria and disease-causing microorganisms that can cause problems.

What you can do

Pet owners or anyone who takes your pet for walks must properly dispose of the waste by picking it up, wrapping it and either placing it in the trash or flushing it unwrapped down the toilet.

Our municipality is required to enforce the following Pet-Waste Laws.

ARTICLE I, Pet Waste [adopted 2-28-2005 by Ord. No. 15-05]

• 63-1. Purpose.

For the purpose of this article, the following terms, phrases, works and their derivations shall have the meanings stated herein unless their use in the text of this article clearly demonstrates a different meaning.  When not inconsistent with the context, words used in the present tense include the future, words used in the plural number include the singular number, and words used in the singular number include the plural number.  The word “shall” is always mandatory and not merely directory.

• 63-2 Definitions

IMMEDIATE — That the pet solid waste is removed at once, without delay.

OWNER/KEEPER — Any person who shall possess, maintain, house or harbor any pet or otherwise have custody of any pet, whether or not the owner of such pet.

PERSON — Any individual, corporation, company, partnership, firm, association, or political subdivision of the state subject to municipal jurisdiction.

PET — A domesticated animal (other than a disability assistance animal) kept for amusement or companionship.

PET SOLID WASTE — Waste matter expelled from the bowels of the pet; excrement.

PROPER DISPOSAL — Placement in a designated waste receptacle, or other suitable container, and discarded in a refuse container which is regularly emptied by the municipality or some other refuse collector; or disposal into a system designed to convey domestic sewage for proper treatment and disposal.

• 63-3. Disposal required.

All pet owners and keepers are required to immediately and properly dispose of their pet’s solid waste deposited on any property, public or private, not owned or possessed by the person.

• 63-4. Exemptions.

Any owner or keeper who requires the use of a disability assistance animal shall be exempt from the provisions of this article while such animal is being used for that purpose.

• 63-5. Enforcement.

The provisions of this article shall be enforced by the Jackson Township Code Enforcement Officer.

• 63-6. Violations and penalties.

Any person(s) who is found to be in violation of the provisions of this article shall be subject to a fine not to exceed $100.00.

• 63-7 and 63-8. (Reserved)