A prevalent issue in San Ramon is the lack of pet owners’ responsibility that inevitably causes dog waste problems to continue, potentially polluting neighborhoods in the process. 

Looking through Nextdoor, residents of San Ramon often complain about this issue – most of the posts consisting of comments that share the same experiences. Some include pictures of dog waste they have seen on trails or even near their homes. The posts regarding this issue all criticize this irresponsible habit.

Firstly, leftover pet waste harms the environment. “{Animal waste} can be an environmental pollutant and can also be a human health hazard,” Jeffrey Tipton, Environmental Health Technician of Contra Costa County, explains. “Not only can {animal waste} affect {the} water quality of residents and the material gets washed into the storm rains, but it can also impact our health too.”

Vestrella, a community in Gale Ranch, has experienced dog waste challenges in which a resident had sent an email including their concerns that was soon brought up to the Homeowner’s Association (HOA).

Through this email that the resident had sent, the HOA of Vestrella community began to spread awareness by handing out flyers to the residents on Feb. 6, 2021. The flyers stated that they were “directed specifically to [those] who are leaving pet waste …  strewn around the property,” while disproving the excuses of irresponsible pet owners. Following the flyers, dog waste signs became more visible in the community. 

“The first step was the flyer and the second step was the signs,” Frances Niksic, a HOA board member, said.