By Rodd Cayton
Some residents are not pleased with the City of Rio Rancho’s response to the theft of dog waste bags along the Thompson Fence Line Trail in Corrales Heights. City officials say the thefts leave them no choice but to try something else.
The Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department (PRCS) had maintained three traditional bag stations between Roadrunner Park and Villa Verde, city Spokesperson Cameron Grimm told The Paper. After receiving a complaint that the stations were empty, Grimm said, staff began monitoring them and found that unusually large quantities of bags (approximately 1,200 bags distributed across the three stations), were disappearing within hours of being restocked. The department replaced the traditional dispensers with PVC tubes stocked with donated grocery bags. Grimm said the city has used those in other parks for about 15 years. She said the city has received complaints from two residents regarding the change in bag dispensers.
Resident Grace Kearney, however, said a group wanted to submit petitions with more than 130 signatures at a city council meeting but didn’t get the chance. She said the shopping bags contain holes and are not useful for picking up after a pet.
Grimm said Rio Rancho requires dog owners to remove and properly dispose of their animals’ waste, regardless of whether the city provides bags. Animal resource officers can investigate reported violations, she said, though enforcement generally requires an officer to witness the violation or sufficient information and evidence to identify the responsible person. “Depending on the circumstances and available evidence, a violation may result in education, a warning or a citation,” she said. If a citation is issued, the matter and any applicable penalty are handled through municipal court.
Grimm said pet waste should be picked up and properly disposed of because it can contribute to unsanitary conditions and health hazards. contain bacteria and parasites, “However, there is an important distinction between the general risks associated with uncollected pet waste and the conditions currently observed at Thompson Fence Line Trail,” she said, adding that PRCS staff regularly inspect the trail, bag dispensers and trash receptacles and each of the locations has a trash receptacle nearby. “Staff report that bags have generally been available and that they have not observed a notable accumulation of pet waste, trash, or loose grocery bags.” Staff will continue monitoring the area and can reevaluate the service level if conditions change, Grimm said. The department has not identified a sanitation or public-health condition requiring additional dispensers or trash cans, she said.
City Councilor Karissa Culbreath, whose district includes part of the trail, said the new strategy helps residents to be responsible pet owners and provides a way to recycle plastic grocery bags. Culbreath acknowledged that the change can be difficult to manage but expressed confidence that residents’ desire to be good neighbors will keep the trail clear.
Kearney said the dog waste is piling up and becoming a health hazard, and likely to sully Rio Rancho’s image in the eyes of trail visitors who come for events such as the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
City staff, she said, haven’t been forthcoming regarding the reasons for removal of the dispensers, claiming there are thefts and vandalism without evidence.
“If there’s thefts and vandalism, address that,” Kearney said. “Don’t punish everybody.”