Sanitation Agents and Dogs

It seems that the DPR isn't the only City agency that isn't enforcing dog rules. According to this New York Post article, a lot fewer dog poop tickets are being issued:

During fiscal year 2011, which ends June 30, Sanitation Department enforcement agents have issued only 250 violations of the law that requires dog owners to clean up after their pets -- that's a little more than half of the 510 tickets written in fiscal year 2010.

But the enforcement record has really gone into a tailspin compared with 2008, when 909 tickets were issued. City officials claim that the drop is due to better compliance with the law that followed a hike in the fine from $100 to $250 in November 2008.

[Bronx councilman] Vacca wasn't buying the argument. He urged [Sanitation Commissioner} Doherty to "set new targets" or "hire more agents," and later explained that although the city is under a conditional hiring freeze, Bloomberg should beef up Sanitation's 24-person Canine Unit because it generates revenue.

And get this excuse:

Sanitation spokesman Matthew Lipani said the pooper-scooper unit has other duties besides going after dog poop. The agents are also responsible for making sure dogs are on leashes when in public, for example.

On city streets, yes. In the parks, it's PEP who's not enforcing the law.