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The city of Albert Lea reminded the public in its weekly e-newsletter last week that it’s city law to pick up pet waste immediately from public or others’ property and within 24 hours of your own property.

City code states:

“Any person who owns, keeps or harbors any animal is responsible to keep his property clean of all fecal matter from the animal. All animal waste should be removed daily so as to keep the surrounding area free from obnoxious odors.

“No animal may defecate upon public property or private property without the consent of the property owner, unless owner or person in charge of animal immediately removes animal waste from affected area and provides proper disposal.

“Proper disposal of animal waste shall be limited to bagging for disposal by the owner or person in charge of animal’s own waste receptacle, and bagging for disposal in a waste receptacle in a public park or park area.”

The city has bags for people to use at the Blazing Star Trail and at the Blue Zones Walkway, and we encourage people to take advantage of them.

Picking up your animal’s waste will not only keep your property and public property looking nice, but it will prevent runoff into local lakes and prevent from having a large cleanup in the spring. Not to mention, it will eliminate the risk of you or another person accidentally stepping in that waste.

Your neighbors will thank you.