Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I just bought a home and have discovered a neighbor dumps dirty cat litter box in the alley way. We love animals and we walk our dogs and we drive in this alley. I am really concerned about health issues and hate to start trouble already with the neighbors. Any advice would be welcome. Thanks.
You can contact your environmental dept and they will keep your name anonymous and they will be first mailed a warning by that dept then if it continues they will see them in person about the complaint.
Being that you don't want to start off on a bad foot with the neighbors I suggest perhaps printing the following out and anonymously leaving on their front door:
"Used Kitty Litter: While we tend to focus on the picking up of dog waste, pathogens contained in cat waste can pose a serious health threat to humans and can also make their way into our waterways where they can cause a pollution problem. The preferable way to dispose of kitty litter is to throw it in the trash. Composting or spreading used kitty litter may seem like a good idea but according to experts, the pathogens and parasites within the waste are not properly treated or removed."
If this doesn't give them the hint then contact local authorities and see how to handle the problem. At the very least they can be cited for littering because it's against the law.
I agree with the post made by theseamstress (536). I have had to do that with my neighbour keeping a overgrown messy back yard. And yes, they do keep your name out of it and yes, they did have to clean it up.
I would call the Code Enforcement Department for you city. The EPA might be a good option for you also.~Janette~
I can't contribute anything really, because you have been given such good ideas. I just wanted to relate a personal experience. In my area last summer my neighbor was dumping the bones from their massive pool party barbeques over my fence, into my back yard. Everytime I went over they would never come to the door, and they ignored all my notes, asking nicely for them to contact me. After my dog choked on one and I had to take him to the emergency clinic I involved the authorities, but they did nothing, despite my several calls to local offices.
In my humble opinion, choosing any of the things already suggested as a first step in dealing with this problem will likely ensure a bad future relationship with these neighbors. I would first go to them and simply tell them you wish they would find another way of disposing of the kitty litter, and offer to help make that easier for them in some way. (You might offer to supply them with a trash container, and even offer to empty it from time to time.) The unfortunate fact is that while it may not be fair, you may have to end up dealing with the problem either partly or entirely by yourself.
In my city, code enforcement takes care of issues such as this....especially if you tell them you are ready to confront neighbor and don't want this to escalate into a big feud thus causing subsequent problems for the city.
Worked for me!
Dawn
I live in Hanover & you should call the Boro .They will not identify you to your neighbor. Be sure your in the Hanover Boro & not a surrounding township
Jron 7667 you are my kind of person! Good thinking. Don't know if I would have ever thought of such a thoughtful gift. HAHA
Someone who would do this repeatedly has no thought /care or concern for others. just themselves so you waist your time trying to deal with them directly. they already have the opinion out of sight out mind thats why they do it to be someone eles problem. and it is bad for the environment, plus they probably have already been doing it for sometime now and your just now seeing it being new to the neighborhood. You, your children and other pets deserve and clean place to walk and breath fresh air.
That is why government agencies are there when we need them, to handle it right the first time with positive and lasting results. They know you want your name not given and it never will be, which will give you peace of mind and solve the problem. If you say anything too them (the person causing this problem) and they do nothing about it you then have to go to the proper authority's anyway and your neighbor will know it was you. Results will be accomplished by the agency, be it right off or after time because they stay on it and have nothing to loose, it is there job to solve the issue. Someone with no care for others will only abide when made to, especially when they know a fine$ will follow because of it.
Regarding raelyn218:
It doesn't matter what kind of product you use for kitty litter even if it does decompose naturally because it's the urine and feces that have touched it that cause health hazards unless disposed of properly and that can only be done with special chemicals to keep the bacteria at bay. Even if you deeply bury it, it can contaminate ground water unless treated.
Lots of people say to use it in gardens and compost piles but there is scientific proof that is not wise to do because of the many possible health risks for humans and animals alike.
I see lots of responses supporting attempts to stop the other resident from depositing their kitty urine and feces in the alley...so you can walk your dogs there and let them deposit their urine and feces.
You don't mention that you pick up after your dogs anymore than the cat owner cleans after their pet.
Some municipalities keep names out of it but if the dumper wants to file for your name under the Freedom of Information Act; they have no choice but to give up all the info in the complaint.
Complaints to authorities are uselss unless you have photo evidence of the offender. I use my cell camera and snap a photo of dog walkers in my neighborhood who don't scoop. Letting them see me taking the photo is usually enough to get them to stop or move to another walking area. As I have 3 dogs and always scoop; no one dares approach me but I do get a lot of angry, dirty glares. So what?
Either way, I can walk on clean surfaces.
You know, we give way too much attention to such things, but we pay authorities to talk to the offenders, and if you can get just one other neighbor to complain about the same offender on the same day or so, the animal control folks will just leave the offender a note, not mentioning who complained. Get out of the loop and let the pros handle it properly, is my suggestion.
The offenders may just not be aware that it's as serious as it is, so explain this to animal control. They will not take the cats away, but give a serious warning, which is what you want, right? Request the ac folks to explain to the offender the reason why this is not a good idea, not allowable, besides the unpleasant odors and appearances. None of us is perfect, and I'm sure this would be the best way to handle it to prevent the most hard feelings. God bless and help you. : )
We have lived in our home for over 25 years and have 1 1/4 acre of land. We organic garden and have worked our property to funnel water from high areas to the lowest point on our land where our garden is.
Recently, new neighbors moved in next door and are on higher elevation than us. They decided to fill in low areas of their back yard with used kitty litter which began seeping thru our wooden fence every time it rained. With the water shed of the land, all the contaminants have a straight shot to the garden. Our garden is ruined!!
We contacted authorities in Austin, Texas and were put into contact with our town's Code Enforcement Officer who photographed our elevations and watershed run off that ran straight to our garden.
There was a nasty white residue on our property where the water had pooled near our fence and adjoining property where the fecal matter oozed thru the fence when it rained.
My husband spoke to the new neighbors about the odor and ooze when we discovered it. We asked them to remove the cat litter and feces and find suitable land fill......all to no avail.
We are waiting to hear from the authorities regarding this matter.
We have every right to sue for land contamination and will press the issue to have the cat litter removed.
Cat feces can contain many unhealthy bacteria you don't want on your fresh spinach. But cat litter is something else, containing hazardous materials! Yes, they used the granular, clumping stuff.
We are dealing with a nightmare from our new neighbors! Their inconsiderate stupidity is destroying 25+ years of careful land management my spouse and I have put in!
My problem is my neighbor puts cat litter right on my property line I guess this is her way of a fence ,I have called the law on her numerous times for throwing poop and cat feces in my yard she's a nasty from the Ukraine and thinks she is above the law we I got her yesterday she was cited and has to go to court over burning without a permit. Why would you throw shit in somebody's yard I've read a lot of good comments on here and I'm calling the health dept Monday morning
