With Spring Upon Us, Please Remember To Help Keep Our Parks And Trails Clean In Town Of Tewksbury

Press release from the Town of Tewksbury:

March 23, 2021

During Spring cleanup, Parks staff have noticed an increased amount of trash and pet waste throughout the parks and walking trails. This is a reminder to please help keep Tewksbury clean by throwing your trash away in the receptacles provided and to clean up after your pet. As a Girl Scout Silver Award Project, Troop 60380 has donated a dog waste station which is located across from the Lacrosse Fields on Livingston Street for your convenience.

Please Note: Dogs are not allowed on public fields.

6.04.110 Public nuisances

Every owner or keeper of a dog shall exercise proper care and control of his/her dog so as to prevent said dogs from becoming a public nuisance. It shall be deemed a public nuisance if any dog should trespass upon private or public property and deposit feces thereon, unless immediately removed by the owner or keeper of said dog. The Animal Control Officer shall have the power to enforce a regulation to eliminate what he/she may deem to be a nuisance. Penalty for the violation of this section shall be:

1st Offense: $50.00

2nd Offense: $100.00

3rd Offense: $300.00

Each Subsequent Offense: $500.00

Pet waste contains bacteria, viruses, and parasites such as salmonella, E.coli and roundworms. When pet waste is left on the fields and around Town, rain water washes over the dog waste, picking up the bacteria, viruses and parasites and sending it down into the storm drain. This contaminated water from storm drains do not go to treatment plants but runs directly into nearby rivers, streams and lakes. This has a detrimental effect to the health of local wildlife and to the people who swim and fish in the water.

This press release was produced by the Town of Tewksbury. The views expressed here are the author’s own.