Council Member Hanif on dog waste education campaign bill

Permission to explain my vote.

Permission granted.

Thank you.

Today I speak in support of the SCOOP Act package and Intro 872A, my legislation to create a citywide multilingual education campaign on dog waste.

First, I want to be clear, I love dogs.

And because I love dogs and our city, I am proud to support the SCOOP Act.

We all know New York City has a dog poop problem.

We've seen it, smelled it, and unfortunately, many of us have stepped in it.

But this is about more than an unpleasant sidewalk experience.

Dog waste is a public health and environmental issue.

Pet waste can pollute our waterways and carry harmful bacteria and parasites, including E.

Coli, salmonella, and roundworm.

Most New Yorkers know they're supposed to pick up after their dogs, but not everyone understands why it matters or the broader consequences for our neighbors, our streets, and our environment when they don't.

That's why Intro 872A focuses on education.

It will make sure New Yorkers understand both their legal obligation to clean up after their pets and the public health and environmental reasons behind it.

And importantly, that information will be available in multiple languages so we can reach dog owners across the entire city.

The bill also makes sure we can measure

whether our efforts are working.

It requires an evaluation of the campaign's effectiveness and incorporates 311 data on dog waste complaints.

That will give us real information to track progress and understand where additional education and outreach may be needed.

Thank you, Speaker Menon, for her leadership and support, and my colleagues for advancing the SCOOP Act and the staff who worked with us to get Intro 872A to the floor today.

I'm proud to vote yes, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Thank you.

And I vote yes.

Hankerson.

I vote aye or no.

Hanks.